NEET UG 2026 Re-Exam: With the NEET UG 2026 re-examination set to be held on Sunday, June 21, the National Testing Agency (NTA) on Saturday said it was fully prepared to conduct the test under an unprecedented security cover, weeks after the original exam was cancelled over an alleged paper leak. Over 22.79 lakh aspirants are set to appear for the re-test, which will be held at 5,440 centres in 551 cities in India and 14 centres abroad in English and 12 Indian languages.
As part of the revamped security plan, the NTA has equipped more than 95,000 exam rooms with CCTV surveillance, installed 1,38,560 cameras, deployed 51,311 jammers, doubled biometric verification staff and put in place AI-based monitoring of live camera feeds. A nationwide mock drill was held on June 20 to test arrangements ranging from frisking and biometric checks to CCTV surveillance and jammer functioning. The agency has also urged candidates and parents to rely only on official communication and ignore rumours or fake paper leak claims circulating on social media.
The re-examination comes more than a month after NEET UG 2026, originally held on May 3, was cancelled following allegations of paper leaks in multiple states, irregularities, and a subsequent probe by central agencies. Here is a timeline of how the controversy unfolded.
NEET UG 2026: Timeline Of Events
May 2: Paper Leak Allegation Surfaces
According to inputs from the Rajasthan Police Special Operations Group (SOG) probe, the alleged leak first came to light on the night of May 2, when a student from Sikar studying in Kerala reportedly sent the question paper to his father, a hostel owner in Rajasthan.
Investigators suspect that the paper had been in circulation around 45 hours before the examination and had reached several students in Sikar, Jaipur’s outskirts and rural coaching hubs. The alleged leak is believed to have been carried out by a gang based in Haryana.
May 3: NEET UG 2026 Held, Complaint Filed
The NEET UG 2026 examination was conducted on May 3 under the NTA’s security protocol. According to the agency, question papers were transported in GPS-tracked vehicles with traceable watermark identifiers, while examination halls were monitored through AI-assisted CCTV surveillance, biometric verification and 5G jammers.
On the same day, the father of the Sikar student lodged a complaint with the Udyog Nagar police station and the NTA, alleging that a suspicious “question bank” or “guess paper” had been circulated among a large number of students before the examination.
May 6-7: Similarity Claims Surface Online
In the days following the exam, online chats and discussions around the paper and answer key began surfacing. Students and coaching centres reportedly referred to a “question bank” that allegedly contained several questions similar to those asked in the actual NEET UG paper.
May 7: NTA Receives Complaint
The NTA said it received formal inputs regarding alleged malpractice on the late evening of May 7, four days after the examination. According to the agency, the complaint originated from Rajasthan and included a PDF alleging irregularities linked to the conduct of the exam.
May 8: Matter Referred To Central Agencies
The NTA said it escalated the matter to central agencies on the morning of May 8 for independent verification and necessary action. In its later notice, the agency said it had referred the matter in keeping with its commitment to the fair, secure and credible conduct of national examinations.
May 10: Rajasthan SOG Begins Probe
The Rajasthan Police Special Operations Group formally began its probe into the alleged paper leak on May 10. By May 12, at least 13 people had been arrested from Sikar and nearby areas in connection with the case, according to reporter inputs.
May 12: NTA Cancels NEET UG 2026, CBI Probe Ordered
In a major decision, the NTA on May 12 cancelled the NEET UG 2026 exam conducted on May 3 and announced that it would be reconducted on a later date.
In its official notice, the agency said that, based on inputs examined in coordination with central agencies and investigative findings shared by law enforcement, “the present examination process could not be allowed to stand”.
The NTA said the decision had been taken with the approval of the Government of India and in the interest of students and the credibility of the national examination system. It also announced that the matter would be referred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for a comprehensive inquiry.
The agency further said no fresh registration would be required for the re-test, candidature and examination centres from the May cycle would be carried forward, and no additional examination fee would be charged. It also said examination fees already paid would be refunded.
May 15: Re-Exam Date Announced
Three days after cancelling the exam, the NTA announced that the NEET UG 2026 re-examination would be held on Sunday, June 21, 2026.
June 14: Fresh Admit Cards Released
The NTA released fresh admit cards for candidates appearing in the June 21 re-examination on June 14. Candidates were asked to download their hall tickets from the official website and verify the details mentioned on them, including the examination centre and reporting instructions.
June 20: Nationwide Mock Drill Held
A day before the re-test, the NTA carried out a nationwide mock drill to test every part of the examination system end-to-end, including CCTV monitoring, biometric verification, frisking, jammer functioning and movement of confidential material. The agency said police, paramilitary forces, the Indian Air Force, the Department of Posts and bank officials had been mobilised as part of the logistical and security arrangements.
The NTA said every exam room would have two invigilators, with more than 10 functionaries per centre, 38,795 frisking staff, 48,448 biometric staff, around 6,700 observers, and over 100 virtual observers monitoring live CCTV feeds. On average, 40 to 50 security personnel have been deployed at each centre.
June 21: Re-Exam To Be Held
The NEET UG 2026 re-examination will be conducted on June 21 from 2 pm to 5:15 pm in pen-and-paper mode.
The re-exam marks the culmination of weeks of uncertainty, investigation and scrutiny over the conduct of one of the country’s biggest entrance examinations.
