NEET-UG 2026 re-exam date announced after paper leak controversy

India’s National Testing Agency (NTA) has announced that the re-examination for the NEET-UG 2026 medical entrance test will be held on June 21, weeks after the May 3 exam was scrapped over alleged paper leaks and other irregularities that triggered nationwide outrage among students and parents.

In a fresh notice, the NTA urged candidates to rely only on official communication channels for updates related to admit cards, exam centres and revised schedules. The agency said previously submitted applications would remain valid and students would not be required to register again for the test.

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The decision to reconduct the examination came after the Indian government ordered a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation into allegations that parts of the question paper had been leaked before the exam. The NEET-UG examination is India’s largest undergraduate medical entrance test and is taken by millions of students each year seeking admission to medical colleges across the country.

According to local media reports, investigators are examining a suspected multi-state network linked to the alleged leak, with arrests already made in Rajasthan, Maharashtra and other states. Preliminary findings cited by Indian media suggested that handwritten copies of the question paper were scanned and circulated digitally among candidates who allegedly paid large sums for access.

The NTA said the cancellation was approved after central agencies raised concerns that “the present examination process could not be allowed to stand”. While acknowledging the disruption caused to students and families, the agency said allowing the results to remain valid would have damaged public confidence in the examination system.

Student groups in several Indian cities have staged protests demanding accountability and stricter safeguards to prevent future leaks. Meanwhile, the CBI continues to investigate whether insiders linked to the examination process may have played a role in the alleged malpractice.