NEET Re-Exam Today: 22 Lakh Students Appear After Leak-Induced Cancellation

Over 22 lakh medical aspirants are appearing for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) re-examination today, a test not only for them but also for the National Testing Agency (NTA) and the central government, which have implemented extensive measures to restore confidence after a paper leak disrupted the previous attempt in May.

The leak on May 3 led to widespread protests and demands for action. The government expressed regret and opted to cancel the earlier exam, prioritising transparency by conducting a fresh test. This re-exam is scheduled from 2 pm to 5:15 pm, with an extended time of up to 6:20 pm for candidates with disabilities.

The NTA has instructed students to bring their admit card, a valid photo ID, and two passport-sized photographs, and to report to their centres between 11 am and 1:30 pm. No entry will be allowed after this window.

To ensure the security of the question papers, they are being airlifted by the Indian Air Force. A nationwide mock drill was conducted on Saturday to verify all systems. Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan chaired a high-level review meeting on Thursday, directing authorities to remain vigilant and ensure the examination adheres to the highest standards of integrity, transparency, and efficiency. Officers from the Ministry of Education will be deployed across states to coordinate activities and report to a central command centre headed by the NTA Director General.

The NTA has emphasised comprehensive arrangements for the exam, which is being held at 5,440 centres in 551 cities in India and 14 centres abroad. The exam is available in English and 12 Indian languages. Over 95,000 examination rooms have been equipped with CCTV cameras—a total of 1,38,560 cameras, with feeds monitored at the national, state, and ministry levels. To prevent electronic malpractice, 51,311 jammers have been deployed.

State and district administrations have been mobilised, and police, paramilitary forces, the Indian Air Force, and the Department of Posts are involved in security and logistics. On average, 40 to 50 security personnel are stationed at each centre. Bank officials have been deployed at approximately 1,500 bank branches holding confidential material, and the Department of Posts will coordinate collection of OMR sheets at around 700 centres.

Review meetings were held with chief secretaries and senior officials of all states. District-level centre arrangements have been confirmed. Each examination room will have two invigilators, and each centre will have over ten additional examination functionaries. Candidate verification has been strengthened with 38,795 frisking staff and 48,448 personnel for biometric verification, with biometric manpower doubled and supported by face authentication to minimise queues.