NEET UG re-test highlights: 9 fake candidates arrested in Bihar for allegedly impersonating students

Aspirants leave from exam centre after appearing for the NEET-UG 2026 re-examination, in New Delhi on Sunday.

NEET UG re-test highlights: National Testing Agency (NTA) Director General Abhishek Singh said the re-test was conducted smoothly across the country with robust security measures and no reports of a question paper leak so far. While biology was widely described as the easiest section, many candidates said physics was the toughest part of the paper this time. Aakash Institute's National Academic Director Nabin Kaarki said the cut off could be 590-600 marks.

Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan earlier reviewed preparations for the NEET-UG re-examination at the National Testing Agency headquarters in Okhla.

NTA officials briefed the minister on the logistical, technical and security arrangements put in place to ensure the smooth, transparent and efficient conduct of the exam.

Girl dies by suicide on re-exam day

A girl has allegedly died by suicide in Haryana’s Hisar before she could sit for the NEET re-exam. It was to be her 3rd attempt.

Injured student appears for re-test

NEET aspirant Shrishti Dubey, who suffered a serious road accident on June 14 and sustained nine fractured ribs and severe lung injuries, was determined not to miss the NEET UG 2026 re-exam.

After undergoing major vascular surgery and intensive treatment, her family approached the NTA seeking special arrangements. The NTA facilitated a separate ground-floor room, medical support and a standby ambulance at the exam centre, enabling her to appear for the examination while recovering. Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan also spoke to her parents, who thanked the NTA and the minister for their support.

Injured student denied entry

A NEET-UG re-exam candidate was denied entry to the examination centre after arriving late following a road accident in Madhya Pradesh. The student, who was visibly bandaged on the head, reached the centre after receiving first aid but was not allowed to enter as the examination had already begun, PTI reported.

According to the candidate's uncle, the delay was caused by the accident and subsequent medical attention. Authorities cited exam rules and refused entry after the prescribed deadline. "While on our way to the examination centre, we met with an accident and got a bit late... Now that we have reached here, we are being denied entry," the uncle told PTI.

NEET burqa row

A NEET-UG re-exam candidate in Rajasthan's Ajmer alleged she was initially stopped from entering her exam centre for wearing a burqa, despite having appeared for the May 3 exam in the same attire. Her father said the family offered to have a female staff member conduct checks in a private area, but claimed the request was refused.

The National Testing Agency later clarified that the student was allowed to enter and take the examination.

“The aspirant wearing Burqa was allowed at the centre in Ajmer,” the NTA said on X.

Police said, "Students were admitted strictly according to the scheduled time, and the entry gates are now closed. The issue regarding the Burqa has also been resolved. There was some lack of clarity regarding certain rules, which was subsequently clarified by senior officials, settling the matter. Apart from this, there are no disputes at the examination centre, and all students have been admitted peacefully."

According to NTA's NEET-UG exam rules, candidates are allowed to wear articles of faith, “subject to reporting at the centre well in advance to enable frisking.”

More than 22 lakh aspirants are currently sitting for the NEET-UG 2026 re-examination. The National Testing Agency (NTA) has said that it has put in place extensive security and monitoring measures to ensure the test is conducted smoothly and fairly across the country.

The re-test comes weeks after the original NEET-UG examination, held on May 3, was cancelled following allegations of a paper leak. The controversy triggered widespread protests, legal challenges and demands for the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

On the eve of the examination, the NTA said it has made "comprehensive arrangements" for the "fair, secure and candidate-friendly" conduct of the test.

Entry timings

1. Candidates were allowed to enter examination centres from 11 am, while the last entry was permitted until 1:30 pm.

2. Pens were provided at the centres.

3. To help candidates cope with the summer conditions and examination-day stress, centres have been equipped with drinking water facilities, ORS, ambulances and shaded waiting areas for parents.

4. Every examination room has a wall clock, and candidates will be provided additional rough-work pages. Special provisions have also been made for left-handed candidates.

5. The examination window has been extended by 15 minutes to compensate for time spent on entry and verification procedures.

Security arrangements in place

The examination is being conducted at 5,440 centres across 551 cities in India and 14 centres overseas. Candidates are taking the test in English and 12 Indian languages.

According to the NTA, the scale of arrangements is unprecedented. The re-exam is being held in more than 95,000 examination rooms, all equipped with CCTV surveillance. A total of 1,38,560 CCTV cameras have been installed, with live feeds being monitored at the national, state and ministry levels.

The agency has also deployed 51,311 jammers to prevent electronic malpractice. Of these, 17,054 have been provided by the Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL) and 34,257 by Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL).

Tight verification and surveillance

The NTA said 38,795 frisking personnel and 48,448 biometric verification staff were deployed across centres. Biometric verification manpower has been doubled and supplemented with face authentication systems to ensure thorough checks while minimising waiting time for candidates.

Each examination room has two invigilators, while every centre is supported by more than 10 additional examination functionaries.

A Centre Systems Officer has also been deployed at every examination venue to monitor CCTV feeds and address technical issues in real time.

To oversee proceedings, around 6,700 observers have been stationed at examination centres, while more than 100 virtual observers will monitor CCTV footage centrally. The NTA said artificial intelligence-based tools are also being used to analyse surveillance footage and flag suspicious activity.

NTA warns against rumours

Earlier, amid persistent concerns over the integrity of the examination, the NTA said it was closely monitoring social media platforms and taking action against those spreading rumours or making fraudulent paper leak claims.

Appealing for cooperation from all stakeholders, the NTA said efforts were focused on ensuring that more than 22 lakh aspirants "can appear for the examination in a calm, secure and supportive environment".