NEET-UG Re-test Begins Under Tight Security, Over 22.79 Lakh Students Appear

New Delhi: The NEET-UG re-test began today under heavy security, with the NTA conducting the exam under intense scrutiny in the backdrop of irregularities and the question paper leak controversy surrounding the earlier exam. Over 22.79 lakh students are appearing for the test today, across 5,440 examination centres set up in 551 cities in India and 14 centres abroad.

Extensive security arrangements have been put in place by the central and state governments at examination centres. CCTV cameras, signal jammers, devices to block electronic communication, and strict frisking have been made mandatory at all centres. Special police escorts have also been deployed to ensure the secure transport of question papers and answer sheets. In addition, a cyber surveillance wing is actively working to curb the spread of misinformation on social media.

Students and parents have remained deeply anxious ever since the original exam was cancelled following the question paper leak caused by the central government's negligence, and neither the central government nor the NTA has been able to resolve these concerns even in conducting the re-test. Students faced obstacles right up to the last moment, even in downloading their hall tickets, and those who did receive their hall tickets found their examination centres widely changed.

A student from Nagpur was allotted Abu Dhabi, abroad, as his examination centre, despite having listed Nagpur as his first preference — a development that sparked major controversy. Following strong protests, the NTA agreed to allot the student a centre in Nagpur itself. A similar complaint arose regarding a student who had taken the original exam in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, but was this time allotted a centre in Dehradun, Uttarakhand.

Meanwhile, against the backdrop of the examination fiasco and the spate of student suicides, the Cockroach Janta Party launched the second phase of its protest in Delhi, demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke has declared that the party will continue its sit-in at Jantar Mantar until Pradhan steps down. Sharp public anger is mounting nationwide against the central government's handling of an issue concerning the future of students.