Should the NEET exam be on the model of JEE? Know the difference between the two exams

Comparison of JEE and NEET Exam: Every day different types of news keep coming out about the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test or NEET. Especially considering the current scenario, it has become one of the most talked about exams today. From alleged irregularities and paper leaks to the action of investigating agencies, the NEET case is constantly in the headlines. Meanwhile, a comparative study of NEET exam with JEE is also being done.

There is also a discussion that JEE exam is conducted in a better manner so NEET should be conducted on the model of JEE. Considered to be one of the most prestigious entrance exams for medical aspirants, NEET was introduced in 2013 replacing the then All India Pre-Medical Test or AIPMT.

While JEE is another important entrance exam for those who aspire to get admission in the top engineering educational institutes of the country. According to experts, despite being important entrance exams, the purpose of both NEET and JEE is quite different.

Speaking to HT Media in this regard, expert on the matter, Dr. Arijit Tomar, Associate Professor of Computer Science and Engineering at Noida International University (NIU), shared his/her views. he/she said that NEET and JEE are national level examinations, which serve different purposes in different formats and have different formats.

JEE and NEET: Two exams with different objectives and formats

NEET is used for admission to undergraduate medical programmes (MBBS/BDS), which includes Physics, Chemistry and Biology (Botany and Zoology). It consists of 200 multiple choice questions (MCQs), 180 of which have to be completed within 3 hours and 20 minutes. Each correct answer is worth four marks, while each wrong answer deducts one mark.

JEE focuses on admission to undergraduate engineering programmes (B.Tech/BE) and is divided into two stages – jee mains and JEE Advanced. JEE Mains consists of 90 questions (30 from each subject: Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics), and is conducted for three hours, while JEE Advanced consists of different question types including MCQs, numerical value questions and matching type, and consists of two three-hour papers.

NEET focuses on medical courses with an emphasis on biological sciences while JEE focuses on engineering degrees with an emphasis on mathematics. According to the same HT report, Gaurav Tyagi, founder of Career Expert, says that NEET and JEE play different roles in determining the academic path followed by candidates aspiring to become doctors and engineers. However, despite being different, NEET can be improved by learning a few things from the JEE model.

It is important to bring fairness:

JEE’s focus on problem solving could improve NEET by introducing complex scenarios that assess not just memory but also critical thinking and the application of medical knowledge in a real-world setting. A multi-session format similar to JEE could ensure fairness of the exam, reducing annual variation in difficulty. Fairness should also be prioritized in adapting the JEE model for future healthcare development, regularity, and NEET.