The National Testing Agency (NTA) has announced that the schedule for the re-conduct of the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test Undergraduate (NEET UG) 2026 is expected to be released within the next seven to ten days after the cancellation of the examination over allegations of a paper leak.
Taking responsibility for the cancellation, NTA Director General Abhishek Singh said the agency is working to ensure that the fresh examination is conducted at the earliest so that the academic calendar and medical admissions process are not affected. He stated that discussions with the examination team would soon begin to finalise the revised schedule and examination dates.
The NEET UG 2026 examination was conducted on May 3 across 551 cities in India and 14 cities abroad for nearly 23 lakh registered candidates seeking admission to undergraduate medical courses, including MBBS and BDS programmes. However, allegations related to a possible paper leak and irregularities surfaced shortly after the examination, prompting the government to intervene.
The NTA officially cancelled the examination on Tuesday following inputs received from central agencies and investigative authorities. The Government of India has also ordered a comprehensive inquiry by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the alleged irregularities linked to the examination.
Speaking on the controversy, Singh described the incident as “distressing” and said paper leaks must stop immediately. He acknowledged the anxiety caused to students, parents, and the broader education ecosystem, noting that more than two lakh individuals were involved in the examination process nationwide.
He said the agency was compelled to cancel the examination after certain questions circulating in PDF format before the exam reportedly matched questions appearing in the actual NEET UG 2026 paper. However, Singh clarified that the “entire paper” was not leaked and that the investigation would determine the exact extent of the breach.
According to the NTA chief, four different code versions of the question paper were used during the examination, and no complete paper was found circulating in the market. Nevertheless, he stressed that even if a single question matched the examination paper, it violated the agency’s “zero tolerance and zero error” policy.
Singh said the NTA would fully cooperate with the CBI and other investigating agencies to identify those responsible and ensure strict action against individuals attempting to manipulate the examination process or exploit students.
He also warned candidates and parents against fraudsters claiming to sell question papers or seeking OTPs and money under false promises. The NTA chief said the agency had already initiated action against several such individuals and reiterated that irregularities in examinations would not be tolerated.
Earlier, the NTA had stated through its official X handle that the decision to cancel the examination was taken after examining investigative findings and inputs shared by law enforcement agencies. The agency said the examination process “could not be allowed to stand” in the interest of maintaining transparency and credibility in national-level entrance tests.
The NTA also confirmed that no fresh registration would be required for the re-examination. Existing registration data, candidature details, and examination centres selected during the May 2026 cycle will be carried forward for the re-conducted examination.
Additionally, the agency announced that no extra examination fee would be charged from candidates for the fresh test. The fees already paid by candidates for the cancelled examination will also be refunded.
The NTA further stated that updated admit card schedules and revised examination dates would be communicated soon through official channels. Candidates and parents have been advised to rely only on official announcements and avoid misinformation circulating on social media platforms.