M Jagadesh Kumar, Chairperson, University Grants Commission (UGC) has revealed a proposal to merge the national medical entrance exam and engineering exam with the recently launched Common University Entrance Test (CUET) under the ‘One Nation, One Entrance’ scheme.

Kumar states that the government is seeking a way to introduce this entrance exam by next year. Adding that the commission is working on a proposal for the government wherein they will recommend the merging of the exams as it will be proving proficiency in the same subjects, such as mathematics, physics and chemistry for both medical and engineering fields.

CUET was launched for undergraduate admissions this year. All these exams are conducted under the National Testing Agency (NTA). By bringing NEET and JEE (Main) with CUET, UGC aims to lessen the burden on students who have to prepare for multiple exams a year.

Furthermore, it will simplify the conduction of exams, the exam dates and centres for the NTA, therefore solving a long-standing logistical problem.

In the current system, NEET is conducted for medical and dental university admissions, JEE Main for engineering courses and CUET for admission to courses in science, commerce and humanities at 90 universities including 45 central universities.