NEET exam from next year will be computer-based: Centre amid paper leak row

Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Friday said that from the next year, NEET exam will be held in CBT mode.

Updated on: May 15, 2026, 11:19:45 IST

By HT News Desk

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Days after the NEET-UG 2026 exam was cancelled, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Friday said that the NEET exam will be conducted in a computer-based format from next year.

Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan said that the Centre has “utmost respect” for the judiciary. (ANI)

Addressing a press conference, Pradhan vowed strong action against those responsible for the paper leak and said the decision to cancel this month’s exam was taken in the interest of meritorious students.

Also read | Re-NEET date announced: Exam to be held on June 21, says NTA

“We will have to fix wherever the NTA is falling short, and the NTA will be held responsible,” the minister said, adding that certain issues had “come to notice” and would be thoroughly investigated.

The National Testing Agency (NTA) said that the NEET (UG) 2026 re-examination will be held on June 21. The NTA on Tuesday announced its decision of cancelling the NEET (UG) 2026 examination conducted on May 3 over paper leak allegations.

NEET (UG) is the nationwide entrance examination conducted by the NTA for admission in undergraduate medical programmes.

“The National Testing Agency, with the approval of the Government of India, has scheduled the re-examination of NEET (UG) 2026 on Sunday, 21 June 2026. Candidates and parents are requested to rely only on the official channels of NTA,” the NTA said in a post on X on Friday.

Also read | ‘Breach in command chain, we take responsibility’: Govt after NEET paper leak

Announcing the cancellation of the May 3 exam, NTA said on Tuesday the decision has been taken in view of the inputs received, taken together with the findings shared by the law enforcement agencies, established that the present examination process could not be allowed to stand.

The “inputs” here referred to reports of alleged irregularities being probed by the Rajasthan special operations group (SOG).

Investigation over paper leak allegations that emerged from Rajasthan, now being carried out by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), has led to multiple arrests.

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