Inside NEET-UG 2026 re-exam preparations by NTA, states across India: Over 50k jammers, 1.38 lakh cameras, IAF sorties

Ahead of the NEET-UG 2026 re-examination on June 21, the National Testing Agency (NTA) carried out a nationwide mock drill on Saturday as part of its routine preparedness measures. The agency has also put in place extensive security and logistical arrangements to ensure the smooth, secure and transparent conduct of the examination.

The examination will be conducted across more than 95,000 examination halls, all of which are equipped with CCTV surveillance. In total, 1,38,560 CCTV cameras have been installed, with live monitoring taking place at the national, state and ministry levels through a virtual oversight system.

To prevent electronic cheating and other forms of malpractice, 51,311 signal jammers have been deployed, including 17,054 supplied by ECIL and 34,257 by BEL, according to an official release.

NEET question papers were transported by the Indian Air Force (IAF) and distributed through centralised hubs, including centres in Madurai and Tirunelveli.

According to the NTA, conducting the re-examination requires extensive coordination among various agencies and administrative authorities. To manage operations, 674 city coordinators have been assigned to supervise arrangements at the city level, while 6,669 observers will provide independent monitoring at examination centres. Each centre has also been staffed with designated superintendents and invigilators.

The agency said more than 2 lakh personnel, including police officers and district administration officials, have been deployed nationwide to ensure the smooth, secure and fair conduct of the re-examination.

"To ensure a fair and transparent examination, the NTA has put in place a multi-layered security framework, including end-to-end secure handling of confidential materials under sealed protocols, GPS-enabled vehicles with police escorts for movement of examination materials, CCTV surveillance at all examination centres linked to centralised control rooms, and Aadhaar-based biometric authentication to prevent impersonation," the agency mentioned, as per PTI.

"Real-time monitoring through centralised control systems is also being undertaken," it stated.

The NTA has urged candidates to depend solely on information released through the official NEET website and to disregard misinformation circulating through unauthorised sources.

The agency also cautioned aspirants against believing rumours or fraudulent claims related to question paper leaks and advised them to promptly report any suspicious messages, social media posts or channels to the NTA or cyber-crime authorities.

Encouraging students to stay focused, the agency said, "Trust their preparation and remain calm. For concerns related to mental well-being, NTA has shared official helplines including Tele-MANAS (14416), the 24x7 national mental health helpline," it said.

Dharmendra Pradhan on NEET-UG re-exam

“NEET-UG re-examination is going to take place today. I have complete faith in the NTA, all the state governments, the district administrations, the Indian education sector, and especially in India's students. Nearly 22 lakh students will be taking the NEET exam shortly. Sit fearlessly, without worry, and you will definitely do well. This is my best wish to the students. They have faith in India's system and will continue to have it. May this unwavering faith remain,” Union Education minister Dharmendra Pradhan said.

“On this occasion, as a parent, as a social worker, I request you: Please do not jeopardize the future of India's new generation. Let no one make a mockery of it. Let us not do anything that will impact the mental health of the children. In a few hours, the children are going to take the exam. In the past, some so-called responsible people in India have behaved in this manner. They treated children with ulterior motives and ill intentions. If you are responsible, if you consider yourself a true citizen of India, if you represent the people of India, please take responsibility. Don't cause any further hardship or suffering to the children of India. This is our request to you,” he further said.

Pradhan mentioned that remaining CBSE results will also be released very soon, noting “results for approximately 15,50,000 out of 17,00,000 students have already been released. Those who applied for re-evaluation, re-assessment, and re-verification are almost complete. The CBSE will publish them soon. We will not allow any disruption to the children. We assure you of this today”.

How states are gearing up for NEET-UG re-exam 2026

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said military personnel would be responsible for transporting question papers to examination centres, while CCTV cameras would monitor all venues. Examination centres will also remain under continuous police protection.

As part of enhanced security measures, prohibitory orders under Section 144 will be imposed within a 100-metre radius of all examination centres. Candidates will be subjected to two levels of frisking, and mobile signal jammers will be deployed at every venue to prevent malpractice.

A senior police officer of at least Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) rank will be appointed in each district to supervise the security and monitoring of the designated lockers.

He also mentioned that a control room will be set up at the office of the Director of Medical Education and will become operational from June 19.

West Tripura District Magistrate Vishal Kumar said that all required arrangements, including robust security measures, have been implemented to ensure the smooth and transparent conduct of the NEET-UG re-examination.

He asserted that personnel from the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and the Tripura Police will be stationed at examination centres as part of the security deployment.

Gujarat Director General of Police (DGP) GS Malik directed authorities to keep a close watch on photocopy shops operating near examination centres and ensure strict adherence to the guidelines issued by the NTA. He also called for comprehensive yet considerate frisking procedures for candidates.

"Police units were instructed to conduct a thorough yet sensitive frisking of candidates, particularly female students, while ensuring courteous treatment of parents and guardians," the release said.

The release further stated that intensive night patrols will be conducted from June 19 to 21 in view of the confidential transportation of examination materials across the state.

Meanwhile, ahead of the NEET-UG re-examination, the Madhya Pradesh Police and Cyber Cell have stepped up security measures and surveillance efforts to facilitate its smooth and secure conduct.

Authorities are also closely monitoring social media platforms to curb the spread of misinformation. As per ANI, more than 400 police officers and personnel have been deployed across examination centres to maintain law and order and ensure the exam is conducted safely and fairly.

Haryana Police on Thursday said intelligence units have been activated to keep watch on the activities of anti-social elements. Special inspections will be carried out at coaching institutes, hotels, lodges, cyber cafés and other locations near examination centres that have been identified as sensitive.

Under the security arrangements, at least one frisking staff member will be deployed for every 100 candidates, with women making up at least 50 per cent of the frisking teams. Hand-held metal detectors will also be used during the screening process.

Each examination centre will be equipped with adequate police deployment, duty magistrates, dedicated male and female frisking teams, and Quick Response Teams (QRTs) to ensure smooth and secure conduct of the examination.

How many students will appear for NEET-UG re-exam?

More than 22.79 lakh candidates are expected to take the exam.

NEET-UG re-exam timings

The NTA has instructed candidates to arrive at their designated examination centres between 11 am. and 1:30 pm, stressing that entry will not be permitted after the gates close at 1:30 pm The NEET-UG 2026 re-examination will be held in pen-and-paper mode from 2 pm to 5:15 pm across 551 cities in India and 14 international locations.

NEET-UG re-exam admit card

In a public advisory posted on X, the NTA said it is sending reminder SMS messages and emails to candidates, urging them to download their admit cards for the NEET-UG 2026 re-examination scheduled for Sunday, June 21.

The agency clarified that authentic SMS communications will be sent through the official sender ID "NICPEP", while emails will originate from "no-reply.neet.nta@nic.in."

It also emphasised that "http://neet.nta.nic.in" is the only official website for the process and advised candidates to type the URL directly into their web browsers to avoid fraudulent links.

The NEET-UG examination for admission to undergraduate medical courses was initially conducted on May 3 this year. However, the test was cancelled on May 12 following allegations of a question paper leak. The matter is currently under investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).