NEET-UG 2026 re-exam was held for 22.79 lakh candidates across 5,440 centres.
NTA conducted the exam under tight security and rejected viral paper leak claims.
NTA DG said no complaints related to paper leaks were received.
Impersonation attempts and a solver gang probe led to 30 arrests, including five medical students.
Students found Biology easier, while Physics and Chemistry were more challenging.
More than 22.79 lakh candidates were eligible to appear for the NEET-UG 2026 re-examination held on June 21 at 5,440 centres across 551 Indian cities and 14 international locations. The National Testing Agency (NTA) conducted the test under enhanced security after the cancellation of the original examination over paper leak allegations. The re-examination was conducted under enhanced security measures.
More than 20 lakh aspirants. One exam. A country's administrative machinery - ministerial, bureaucratic, police, district and local - aligned behind a single day, so that each candidate could simply sit down and write. To every candidate who wrote on 21 June - well done. And to everyone who made it possible: thank you. Team NTA. Team Bharat. One exam, delivered together.National Testing Agency, X
The NTA deployed biometric verification, CCTV surveillance, AI-assisted monitoring systems, and strict entry protocols at examination centers. Candidates underwent multiple levels of verification before entering exam halls.
Posting on X, the agency reported that the examination was conducted without disruption under comprehensive monitoring and security protocols. Officials stated that central and state authorities coordinated closely to oversee the conduct of the test and monitor examination centers.
Monitoring centres were set up at national, state, and district levels. According to The Hindu, NTA Director General Abhishek Singh said no complaints related to paper leaks had been received. He added that a few cases involving incorrect or forged admit cards, impersonation attempts, and candidates trying to bring mobile phones were detected, and action was taken promptly.
There were some minor reports regarding people coming with wrong admit cards, people coming with some forged admit cards at a few places; impersonation cases were also found out.Abhishek Singh, Director General, NTA
During the examination process, a video circulated on social media claiming that the NEET-UG 2026 re-exam paper had been leaked.
The NTA rejected the claim and stated that the video was fabricated. The agency urged students and parents to rely only on official sources for examination-related information. The agency said cybercrime authorities had been alerted to investigate the origin and circulation of the misleading video.
NTA's attention has been drawn to a fabricated video being circulated on social media regarding NEET (UG) 2026. The video is fake and the claims it makes are false.National Testing Agency, X
In Bihar's Lakhisarai district, police arrested nine individuals accused of appearing in the examination in place of registered candidates.
According to Lakhisarai SP Prerna Kumar, the detainees allegedly attempted to take the examination on behalf of other candidates. She said police would register an FIR upon receiving written complaints from the concerned center superintendents, as reported in Hindustan Times.
Authorities detected the suspected impersonators during identity verification procedures at examination centers. Investigators are examining whether the accused were part of a larger network involved in organized examination fraud.
As reported in News18, the examination was conducted at four centers in Lakhisarai: Kendriya Vidyalaya, Hasanpur High School, KRK High School, and the District Institute of Education and Training (DIET).
During the verification process, officials identified nine suspected impersonators, seven at Kendriya Vidyalaya, one at Hasanpur High School, and one at KRK High School. Discrepancies in identity documents, photographs, and biometric records raised suspicion, prompting a deeper investigation.
The probe subsequently uncovered a larger alleged cheating network, leading to the reported arrest of 30 individuals, including five medical students.
Separately, according to The New Indian Express, another nine alleged impersonators, including a Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) student, were arrested in Bihar during the re-examination. Investigators are probing possible links with organized cheating networks.
The investigation allegedly revealed links between certain aspirants and individuals suspected of helping candidates gain unfair advantages during the exam. According to News18, payments allegedly reached as high as ₹40 lakh in certain cases.
Investigators are examining financial transactions and communication records to trace the beneficiaries and other members of the alleged network. Police believe the case may involve a coordinated exam fraud racket rather than isolated instances of malpractice.
In Hyderabad, officials detained an 18-year-old candidate after discovering a mobile phone concealed inside a washroom flush tank at an examination center, as reported in Times of India.
Invigilators reportedly became suspicious when the candidate remained in the washroom for an extended period. A subsequent inspection led to the recovery of the device.
As per his plan to commit cheating, the student came to the school around 7 AM, several hours before the examination. The accused was caught red-handed inside the washroom actively searching for answers on his mobile phone.Investigating Police
According to police, the candidate confessed to the misconduct during interrogation. Authorities subsequently registered a case under Section 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and relevant provisions of the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024.
Following the examination, candidates shared feedback regarding the paper's difficulty level.
According to PhysicsWallah and student feedback compiled by India Today, Biology was largely NCERT-based and relatively easier, while Physics was considered the toughest section because of lengthy numerical questions. Chemistry was moderate but conceptually demanding. Many candidates said Physics felt more difficult than in the cancelled May examination.
The NTA is expected to release the provisional answer key in the coming weeks.
Candidates will be given an opportunity to raise objections before the agency publishes the final answer key and declares the results.
The re-examination represents an important step in the medical admission process after the cancellation of the original NEET-UG 2026 examination and the subsequent implementation of enhanced security measures nationwide.
(Rh/SS/MSM)