NEET-UG 2026 paper setters, moderators, and translators have been placed under lockdown at a secure facility until the June 21 re-examination.
Authorities have restricted communication devices and implemented round-the-clock monitoring as part of enhanced security measures.
NTA has introduced additional safeguards, including CCTV verification, centre inspections, mock drills, and stricter logistics controls.
The Indian Air Force will assist in transporting question papers, marking the first such arrangement for a national entrance examination.
The June 21 re-examination follows the cancellation of the May 3 NEET-UG 2026 test after allegations of a paper leak.
New Delhi: With less than two weeks remaining for the NEET-UG 2026 re-examination, authorities have placed question paper setters, moderators, and translators under strict lockdown at a secure facility while introducing multiple new security measures, including Indian Air Force-assisted transportation of question papers. According to multiple media reports, the measures form part of a broader security framework introduced after the cancellation of the original NEET-UG 2026 examination held on May 3 following allegations of a paper leak.
According to a report by The Times of India, the lockdown covers all personnel involved in setting, moderating, and translating the question paper. Authorities have reportedly restricted access to phones, internet services, and most forms of external communication during the final stages of paper preparation. The arrangement is expected to remain in place until the examination concludes on June 21.
According to India Today, experts involved in setting, moderating, translating, and handling confidential stages of question paper preparation have been housed at a highly secured facility under round-the-clock supervision. Mobile phones, laptops, smartwatches, internet access, and most forms of external communication have been prohibited. Authorities are monitoring and documenting movement in and out of the facility, with access restricted to authorised personnel. The lockdown will continue until the completion of the June 21 examination.
The Times of India report, stated that the experts have been moved to a secure, undisclosed facility as part of efforts to prevent any compromise of the examination process and to restore confidence among candidates and parents following the cancellation of the earlier examination.
Officials told India Today that authorities have compartmentalised the examination workflow so that no individual or group has access to the entire chain of operations. The enhanced security framework covers question paper creation, moderation, translation, printing, packaging, storage, transportation, and distribution. According to the report, the approach is intended to reduce the risk of unauthorised disclosure at any stage of the process.
According to reports, the Ministry of Education and the National Testing Agency (NTA) have adopted several additional safeguards to protect the integrity of the examination process.
Earlier, the Ministry of Education directed the NTA to implement a series of reforms before the re-examination, including stricter digital tracking systems, tighter confidentiality protocols, increased police supervision during transit and storage of examination materials, and enhanced coordination with district authorities.
According to The Times of India, answer sheet databases are being shifted to government-controlled servers and stricter controls are being applied to examination logistics. The measures follow concerns raised after the cancellation of the May examination.
In its affidavit before the Supreme Court, NTA stated that a High-Powered Steering Committee reviewed preparations for the June 21 re-examination and recommended enhanced safeguards before, during, and after the examination. The affidavit also stated that examination centres would undergo detailed inspections in the week preceding the examination as part of the enhanced security arrangements.
According to an affidavit submitted by the NTA before the Supreme Court, additional safeguards for the re-examination include mandatory CCTV verification at examination centres, preservation of surveillance footage for at least 90 days, mock drills, weather contingency plans, verification of power backup systems, and emergency medical facilities. The agency also said that post-examination forensic analysis of CCTV footage would be conducted to identify any suspicious activity that may not be detected during live monitoring.
In another significant step, the Indian Air Force (IAF) has reportedly been engaged for the transportation of question papers for the June 21 examination. According to Hindustan Times, NTA Director General Abhishek Singh informed state officials that the IAF would be used for transporting question papers, marking the first time such an arrangement has been reported for a national entrance examination.
NTA Director General Abhishek Singh said the Indian Air Force is being engaged for the transportation of question papers for the first time. Officials clarified that the armed forces' role is limited to secure transportation, logistical coordination, and weather-related contingencies, and does not extend to examination administration or oversight.
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said the government aims to ensure that the June 21 re-examination is "100 per cent error-free" following the cancellation of the May 3 examination and the distress experienced by candidates. He stated that authorities had taken difficult decisions in response to the irregularities and were implementing corrective measures to strengthen the examination process.
The National Testing Agency cancelled the NEET-UG 2026 examination conducted on May 3 after allegations of a question paper leak emerged. The decision affected more than 22 lakh candidates who had appeared for the examination across the country. Subsequently, the agency announced that the re-examination would be conducted on June 21 with approval from the Government of India.
According to NTA, candidates and parents should rely only on official communications for examination-related updates.
Ahead of the re-examination, social media posts and messages claiming that the June 21 question paper had already been leaked or was available for sale began circulating online.
The NTA dismissed these claims as false and misleading. In a statement reported by The New Indian Express, the agency said such messages were intended to mislead students and parents and were being circulated by organized cheating rackets seeking to exploit examination-related anxiety. The agency stated that every claim regarding the sale or leak of the re-examination paper was fabricated and warned of strict action against those spreading misinformation.
The agency further said it is identifying and reporting such content to social media platforms and cybercrime authorities. NTA stated that creating, circulating, or forwarding fraudulent claims related to the examination is a punishable offence and that formal complaints are being filed with law enforcement agencies.
The agency urged candidates and parents not to engage with, pay for, or share such messages and advised them to rely only on official NTA communication channels.
The June 21 re-examination will be conducted in the conventional pen-and-paper format. Earlier this month, the Supreme Court rejected a plea seeking to conduct the re-examination through a computer-based test (CBT) mode, clearing the way for the examination to proceed in its existing format.
The court observed that introducing a major change in examination mode shortly before the test would not be practical and could create operational difficulties for both candidates and examination authorities. During the hearing, NTA informed the court that it is preparing for a possible transition to a computer-based format in the future.
The lockdown of paper setters and the additional security arrangements represent part of the authorities' efforts to conduct the re-examination under tighter controls following the controversy surrounding the cancelled May examination.
(Rh/MSM)