NEET UG re-examination NEW DELHI: National Testing Agency (NTA) and education ministry kept their fingers crossed until the final answer sheets of India’s largest entrance exam, NEET-UG, were sealed on Sunday, bringing to a close a high-stakes retest conducted under the shadow of the May 3 paper leak.Organised in 37 days, far short of the four-six months the exercise would ordinarily require, the retest to admissions to under-graduate medical courses passed off without any reported breach or major disruption – a relief to the agency and education minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who have come under fire since the scrapping of the exam. NTA has called the retest “a fair chance, a fresh start”.Pradhan monitored the conduct of the test – taken by over 20 lakh candidates at 5,440 centres in India and 14 abroad – from NTA headquarters in Delhi’s Okhla till it ended, for any fresh lapse would have intensified the credibility crisis surrounding the exam. He reviewed feeds from command-and-control centres and called up exam centres too. Biology was easy, physics tough, say NEET aspirants Pradhan reviewed inputs from command-and-control centres, from the ministry at the national level, 34 centrally funded higher education institutions in every state, and district collectorates, sources said.The arrangements were part of a larger security and logistics grid – involving security and intelligence agencies, IAF to transport question papers, and ministries of railways, home affairs, defence, health and IT – put in place to eliminate lapses. The May 3 exam was cancelled after more than 120 questions allegedly overlapped with material circulated before the test. It triggered a CBI probe, and several people were arrested, including those who were on the paper-setting panel.Security this time extended beyond protecting the printed paper: the question bank was larger, there were more paper-setters and restrictions, ensuring nobody could get to know or see the final paper. Moreover, the experts who prepared and moderated the papers worked under ‘lockdown-like’ conditions, with heavy restrictions on gadgets, including mobile phones. The govt also restricted access to Telegram app until June 22 over concerns it may be used for cheating. Biology was described as easy-to-moderate, while several found physics calculation-heavy, and chemistry lengthy and difficult. Students from several exam centres reported that NEET centres were better prepared for the re-exam. However, some candidates complained about power outages, and disturbances during the exam despite NTA’s directions to minimise interruptions once the test began.Get the latest India news and live updates. Download the TOI App.About the AuthorManash Pratim GohainManash Pratim Gohain is a seasoned journalist with over two decades at The Times of India, where he has built a rich body of work spanning education policy, politics, and governance. Renowned for his incisive coverage of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, accreditation reforms, and skilling initiatives, he has also reported on student politics, urban policy, and social movements. His political reportage—both reflective and news-driven—adds depth to his writing, bridging policy with public impact. Through his 2,500 articles and related outlets, he has emerged as a trusted voice in national discourse, particularly in linking education reform to broader societal change.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosNihangs Storm Rudraprayag Gurdwara, Hold Manager Hostage on Roof Over Karnaprayag ArrestsKarnataka Cross-Voting Row: BJP MLAs to Take Oath Before Lord Manjunatha in Dharmasthala‘Useless Fellows’: Kharge Loses Cool After Congress Workers Raise ‘DK-DK’ SlogansNEET UG Re-Exam Ends for 22 Lakh Candidates, Students Say Paper Was Tougher Than May 3 TestTMC MP Abhishek Banerjee’s Close Aide, Sumit Roy, Booked in Fraud and Forgery CaseRebel Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Nagesh Patil Ashtikar Joins Shinde Sena, Cites Hurt Over Party Remarks7 Workers Die, Over 40 Hospitalised After Ammonia Gas Leak At Seafood Processing Unit In Tamil NaduAjmer NEET Re-Exam: Muslim Student Wearing Hijab Alleges She Was Denied Entry At Exam Centre’Samajwadi Party, Congress Using Ram for 2027 UP Elections’: VHP Chief on Ram Mandir Donation RowConstruction Begins on ₹2,935 Crore Indore-Ujjain Greenfield Corridor After Farmer Protests123PhotostoriesFrom Samatha Ruth Prabhu to Shikhar Dhawan: 10 Indian celebrities who found love again and got married after divorceBigg Boss Malayalam 8 Agnipariksha: 5 Ex-contestants who would be the best picks as judges10 countries where travel insurance is mandatory for tourists5 road trips in India that are not meant for first-time drivers – what travellers need to knowJungkook’s style evolution: From bold eyeliner to the king of quiet luxuryTaking creatine? 5 things you should know first, NYC doctor explainsUttarakhand SOG officer dies after collapsing at gym; Doctor explains why even fit people can suffer sudden medical emergencies10 baby boy names inspired by stars and constellations5 bad hair habits that could be making your hair fall worse5 most extraordinary eco-friendly buildings redefining sustainable architecture123Hot PicksPetrol, diesel rateMilk price hikeIndia-US trade dealJIO IPODelih weatherGwalior-Prayagraj ExpressWeather forecast tomorrowIndane gas KYCKeir Starmer resignationTop TrendingNEET re examUS-Iran WarYoga Day 2026FIFA World Cup 2026Abhijeet DipkeTamil Nadu Ammonia Gas LeakNEET UG ExamUP Police Constable answer keyBengaluru blue line metroCJP protest
NEW DELHI: National Testing Agency (NTA) and education ministry kept their fingers crossed until the final answer sheets of India’s largest entrance exam, NEET-UG, were sealed on Sunday, bringing to a close a high-stakes retest conducted under the shadow of the May 3 paper leak.Organised in 37 days, far short of the four-six months the exercise would ordinarily require, the retest to admissions to under-graduate medical courses passed off without any reported breach or major disruption – a relief to the agency and education minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who have come under fire since the scrapping of the exam. NTA has called the retest “a fair chance, a fresh start”.Pradhan monitored the conduct of the test – taken by over 20 lakh candidates at 5,440 centres in India and 14 abroad – from NTA headquarters in Delhi’s Okhla till it ended, for any fresh lapse would have intensified the credibility crisis surrounding the exam. He reviewed feeds from command-and-control centres and called up exam centres too.
Biology was easy, physics tough, say NEET aspirants Pradhan reviewed inputs from command-and-control centres, from the ministry at the national level, 34 centrally funded higher education institutions in every state, and district collectorates, sources said.The arrangements were part of a larger security and logistics grid – involving security and intelligence agencies, IAF to transport question papers, and ministries of railways, home affairs, defence, health and IT – put in place to eliminate lapses. The May 3 exam was cancelled after more than 120 questions allegedly overlapped with material circulated before the test. It triggered a CBI probe, and several people were arrested, including those who were on the paper-setting panel.Security this time extended beyond protecting the printed paper: the question bank was larger, there were more paper-setters and restrictions, ensuring nobody could get to know or see the final paper. Moreover, the experts who prepared and moderated the papers worked under ‘lockdown-like’ conditions, with heavy restrictions on gadgets, including mobile phones. The govt also restricted access to Telegram app until June 22 over concerns it may be used for cheating. Biology was described as easy-to-moderate, while several found physics calculation-heavy, and chemistry lengthy and difficult. Students from several exam centres reported that NEET centres were better prepared for the re-exam. However, some candidates complained about power outages, and disturbances during the exam despite NTA’s directions to minimise interruptions once the test began.
