NEET (UG) 2026: Amid nationwide outrage, student protests, and allegations of paper leaks and examination irregularities, the National Testing Agency (NTA) today cancelled the NEET UG 2026 examination conducted on May 3 and announced that the medical entrance test will be held again on fresh dates to be notified separately.
Following the cancellation, the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) staged protests against the central government, demanding accountability and transparency in the examination process. The decision to scrap the exam was taken with the approval of the Government of India after inputs examined in coordination with central agencies and findings shared by law enforcement authorities.
NSUI stages protest over NEET (UG) 2026 paper leak,s near Shashtri Bhawan in Delhi
NDTV’s @TanushkaDutta joins @VedikaS with more details pic.twitter.com/ZkRRn7Za3F
— NDTV (@ndtv) May 12, 2026
In an official statement issued in continuation of its May 10 press release, the NTA said it had referred the matter under consideration to central agencies on May 8 for independent verification and necessary action to ensure the fair, secure, and credible conduct of national examinations.
“On the basis of the inputs subsequently examined by NTA in coordination with the central agencies, and the investigative findings shared by the law enforcement agencies, the National Testing Agency, with the approval of the Government of India, has decided to cancel the NEET (UG) 2026 examination conducted on 3 May 2026,” the agency said.
According to the statement, the inputs received by the agency, along with findings shared by law enforcement authorities, established that the examination process “could not be allowed to stand.” The revised examination dates and fresh admit card schedule will be announced through official channels in the coming days.
The Government of India has also decided to hand over the matter to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for a comprehensive inquiry into the allegations related to the examination. The NTA said it would extend full cooperation to the investigating agency and provide all required records and assistance.
The agency acknowledged that conducting the examination again would cause inconvenience to students and their families but maintained that the decision was necessary to protect the integrity and trust associated with the national examination system.
NTA further clarified that the registration data, candidature details, and examination centres chosen by candidates for the May 2026 cycle will be carried forward for the re-conducted examination. No fresh registration will be required and no additional examination fee will be charged. The agency also said that fees already paid by candidates will be refunded, while the re-examination will be conducted using NTA’s internal resources.
Candidates and parents have been advised to rely only on official communication channels for updates regarding the revised examination schedule and admit cards, and to ignore unverified information circulating on social media.
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