Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has said that the National Testing Agency (NTA) successfully conducted the NEET UG 2026 re-exam in just 38 days, significantly faster than the usual six-month preparation period.
Speaking in an exclusive interview, Pradhan congratulated students, parents, and all stakeholders involved in the process, saying the examination was conducted in a “foolproof” manner across the country and abroad.
The NEET UG 2026 retest was held on June 21 for over 20 lakh candidates at 5,440 centres in India and 14 centres overseas.
Pradhan said that once the decision for a re-exam was made, the NTA had to complete all preparations—question paper setting, logistics, and security arrangements—within a very short time frame of 38 days. He added that students are expected to perform well and wished them success in securing admission to top medical colleges.
The minister said that lessons from previous paper leak incidents were used to strengthen the system. According to him, teachers from top institutions were involved in setting question papers under strict surveillance by the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF), while they were kept in isolation to maintain confidentiality.
He also highlighted multi-layer monitoring mechanisms, stating that the Indian Air Force (IAF) and state governments were roped in to ensure secure and smooth conduct of the examination.
Pradhan thanked all ministries, officials, and security agencies for their coordinated efforts, saying that collective teamwork ensured a highly secure and transparent examination process.
