The Government of India on Friday announced that the cancelled NEET-UG 2026 examination will be reconducted on June 21, while also unveiling a major structural reform — shifting the country’s largest medical entrance exam to a computer-based testing (CBT) format from 2027 following the latest paper leak controversy.
Retest Details and Fee Refund
For the retest — to be conducted on the pen-paper OMR (optical mark recognition) sheet mode — candidates will not have to pay any additional exam fee. The fee paid for the cancelled May 3 test will be refunded. This move aims to ease the financial burden on students who had already paid for the earlier examination.
Government’s Zero Tolerance Policy
Addressing his first press conference since the cancellation of the May 3 examination, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said that the government had adopted a “zero tolerance” policy towards examination malpractice. He emphasized that the government would not allow “education mafia” to compromise opportunities for genuine students. The minister reiterated the commitment to maintaining the integrity of the admission process.
Background of the Controversy
The National Testing Agency (NTA) had cancelled the earlier examination after allegations surfaced that parts of the question paper had been leaked before the test. The controversy escalated when a so-called “guess paper”, allegedly containing several actual questions, began circulating among candidates in Rajasthan and other states ahead of the exam. Pradhan stated that authorities confirmed within days that some questions had indeed been compromised. “We admit there was a breach somewhere in the chain of command despite implementing the Radhakrishnan committee recommendations. We take responsibility to fix this,” he said.
A Difficult but Necessary Step
Calling the cancellation a “difficult but necessary” step, the minister stressed that preserving the credibility and fairness of the admission process was non-negotiable. He assured students and parents that the government is committed to ensuring a transparent and secure examination system.
Structural Reforms: Shift to CBT
In a significant structural reform, the government announced that from 2027, NEET-UG will be conducted in a computer-based testing (CBT) format. This move is intended to enhance security, reduce the risk of paper leaks, and streamline the examination process. The transition to CBT is expected to bring greater efficiency and reliability to the medical entrance exam.
The government’s swift action and comprehensive reforms underscore its determination to uphold the sanctity of examinations and protect the interests of millions of aspiring medical students across the country.
