NEET PG 2026 Reforms: Centre Announces Nearby Exam Centres, Test City Intimation 3 Weeks Before Exam, Single-Shift Test

The Centre has announced major reforms for the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test for Postgraduate (NEET PG) 2026, including a revised exam centre allotment process, earlier test city intimation, a return to a single-shift examination, and more time per question.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda reviewed the preparedness of the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) and directed all agencies to ensure a "fair, transparent and candidate-friendly examination" while maintaining the highest standards of integrity and security.

According to the Ministry, 2,73,183 candidates have registered for NEET PG 2026, an increase of more than 12.5% over last year. The examination will be conducted in a single shift across about 340 cities and more than 1,300 examination centres.

Also See: NEET UG, PG 2026 Counselling: MCC Introduces One-Time Reporting, Online Resignation, Digital NRI Admissions

One of the key changes in NEET PG 2026 is the revised exam centre allotment process. Instead of the earlier first-come, first-served system, candidates must now select three preferred states, with the state mentioned in their correspondence address as the mandatory first preference.

The revised system is expected to help more candidates secure examination centres closer to their homes, reducing the need for interstate travel.

The Ministry also said candidates will receive their allotted test city nearly three weeks before the August 30 examination, giving them additional time to plan travel and accommodation.

NBEMS has revised the examination pattern by reducing the number of multiple-choice questions from 200 to 180, while retaining the overall duration of 210 minutes.

With the total examination time unchanged, candidates will have more time to answer each question. Earlier, the examination consisted of 200 multiple-choice questions carrying a maximum of 800 marks.

NEET PG 2026 will also return to a single-shift format. According to the Health Ministry, conducting the examination in one shift will help maintain greater uniformity in question difficulty and candidate assessment. In recent years, the examination was held in multiple shifts following postponements and other logistical challenges.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has introduced additional security measures for NEET PG 2026, including Aadhaar-based authentication during registration and on the examination day. Iris-based biometric verification will be used if fingerprint authentication is unsuccessful.

The Ministry said the question paper preparation and delivery process has been strengthened through multiple layers of encryption, secure offline preparation, time-bound finalisation, and controlled digital decryption only at the scheduled start of the examination.

Examination centres will also undergo advance verification and sealing, supported by CCTV surveillance, candidate frisking, signal jammers, live monitoring through central and regional command centres, and supervision by independent observers and appraisers. More than 60,000 examination functionaries will be deployed nationwide to ensure the smooth conduct of the examination.

Also see: NEET PG 2026 Registration Begins; Exam on August 30, NBEMS Issues Key Advisory for Applicants

Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda also cautioned candidates against rumors and fraudulent claims related to NEET PG 2026. He said, "Any claim of prior access to the question paper by anyone is entirely false and intended to mislead candidates."

He advised aspirants to rely only on official communications issued by NBEMS and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, and to promptly report suspicious activities.

To support this, NBEMS has operationalized a dedicated email address for reporting impersonation, touting, and other unfair practices, strengthening the government's efforts to ensure a secure and transparent examination process.

References:

1. National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS). “NEET-PG 2026.” Accessed August 4, 2026. https://natboard.edu.in/

(Rh/TP/MSM)