NEET-UG retest held at over 5,400 centres in India amid tight security, students say exam tougher than May 3 test

PTC News Desk: The NEET-UG re-examination was conducted smoothly across India and abroad on Sunday under strict security arrangements. The test was organized by the National Testing Agency after the May 3 examination was cancelled amid an investigation into an alleged question paper leak.

More than 22 lakh students were expected to appear for the re-test, which was held at 5,440 examination centres across 551 cities in India and 14 centres overseas.

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan visited the NTA headquarters in Delhi's Okhla area to review the arrangements and monitor the conduct of the examination.

“NTA apprises the Minister of the logistical and technical arrangements put in place for the efficient and transparent conduct of the examination,” the Ministry of Education said.

The examination was scheduled from 2.00 pm to 5.15 pm. Candidates with disabilities (PwD/PwBD) eligible for compensatory time will be allowed to write the examination till 6.20 pm.

To support candidates and their families, authorities in several states, including Delhi, arranged free drinking water and refreshments for parents and guardians waiting outside examination centres.

The exam was conducted in English and 12 Indian languages.

To ensure transparency and prevent malpractice, the NTA implemented extensive security measures. More than 95,000 examination rooms were placed under CCTV surveillance, with a total of 1,38,560 cameras installed across centres. The live feeds were monitored at national, state and ministry levels.

Additionally, 51,311 signal jammers were deployed to block unauthorized electronic communication and prevent cheating through digital devices.

The large-scale security operation was aimed at ensuring a fair, transparent and credible examination process following the controversy surrounding the earlier test.