Join thousands of students achieving their dreams with expert-led courses.
Join free and unlock everything on EasyShiksha.
Takes less than 3 seconds โ no password needed
Please enter a valid email address.
Checking your emailโฆ
Almost done โ just verify your number so we can send course updates and certificates.
Used only for verification & updates
Incorrect OTP. Please try again.
Takes less than 10 seconds
Please select your country.
Please select your state.
India's National Eligibility cum Entrance Test Undergraduate (NEET UG) is among the world's largest examinations, with around 25 lakh students taking the exam, according to a State Bank of India Research report.
Based on candidate volumes, NEET UG would rank fifth globally. China's Gaokao tops the list with 1.29 crore candidates, followed by Brazil's ENEM with 48 lakh, China's Guokao civil-service exam with 37 lakh, and China's national master's entrance exam with 34 lakh.
Turkiye's YKS has around 24 lakh candidates, Nigeria's UTME around 22 lakh, and the US/international SAT around 20 lakh.
| Examination | Country | Approximate candidates | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gaokao | China | 1.29 crore | Higher-education selection |
| ENEM | Brazil | 48 lakh | School assessment and higher-education access |
| Guokao | China | 37 lakh | Civil-service recruitment |
| YKS | Turkiye | 24 lakh | Higher-education selection |
| UTME | Nigeria | 22 lakh | Higher-education admission |
| SAT | US/international | 20 lakh | Higher-education admissions |
| SSC/ equivalent | Bangladesh | 18 lakh | School examination |
| ACT | US | 14 lakh | Higher-education admissions |
| HSC/equivalent | Bangladesh | 12 lakh | School examination |
| NEET-UG | India | 25 lakh | Medical education admission |
| JEE Main | India | 10 lakh | Engineering education admission |
| UPSC CSE | India | 12 lakh | Civil services recruitment |
| UPSC NET | India | 8 lakh | Eligibility for higher education/academic careers |
The new SBI Research report, titled The State of Higher Education in India since 2014: A decade of proliferation with empowerment of women & marginalised sections, compares major exams and suggests lessons for India.
In 2026, 12.90 million candidates registered for Gaokao. It was conducted across 7,981 centres with 3.48 lakh examination rooms and 21,000 reserve rooms. More than 14,000 candidates with disabilities received accommodations.
The report highlights its security arrangements, including secure printing facilities, 24-hour surveillance, armoured and GPS-tracked vehicles for transporting question papers, police escorts, and monitored, steel-reinforced storage. Candidates undergo identity and prohibited-item checks, while centres are under video surveillance. Departments also coordinate for traffic, noise control, food, health and weather contingencies.
The report does not present Gaokao as failure-proof, but notes lessons in accountable custody of material, pre-planned remedies, transparent marking, redress mechanisms and evidence-based evaluation.
The comparison comes as India grapples with conducting large-scale exams securely and transparently.
The report notes the National Testing Agency (NTA) remains a society registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860. By July 2024, it had conducted more than 240 exams involving over 5.4 crore candidates.
Of 194 disclosed personnel, 171 were contractual or outsourced, accounting for around 88 per cent.
Against this backdrop, SBI Research recommends giving NTA a stronger statutory framework through an NTA Act of Parliament. It proposes an expert board, a permanent professional team, independent review mechanisms, a candidate charter and greater public accountability.
Source Click here More News Click here
Credentials
Discover thousands of colleges and courses, enhance skills with online courses and internships, explore career alternatives, and stay updated with the latest educational news..
Gain high-quality, filtered student leads, prominent homepage ads, top search ranking, and a separate website. Let us actively enhance your brand awareness.
Download EasyShiksha Mobile Apps from Android Play Store, Apple App Store, Amazon App Store, and Jio STB.
1 million+ย learned on the EasyShiksha App
Trusted by Standards & Global Compliance Frameworks
Built under internationally recognized standards for quality, information security, educational excellence and business continuity.
ISO 9001:2015 | ISO/IEC 27001:2022 | ISO 21001:2018 | ISO 22301:2019 | DPIIT Recognized Startup | MSME Registered
