The National Testing Agency (NTA) on Tuesday announced the cancellation of the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test undergraduate (NEET-UG) 2026 examination conducted on 3 May 2026. It says the medical entrance test will be re-conducted following inputs shared by central agencies and law enforcement authorities regarding alleged irregularities, including reports of a paper leak.
The Union government has also decided to hand over the matter to central bureau of investigation (CBI) for a comprehensive inquiry.
In a
statement posted on X, NTA says the decision was taken with the approval of the government of India after examining investigative findings and inputs received in coordination with Central agencies.
“On the basis of the inputs subsequently examined by NTA in coordination with the central agencies, and the investigative findings shared by the law enforcement agencies, and in order to ensure that there is transparency in the system, the NTA, with the approval of the government of India, has decided to cancel the NEET (UG) 2026 examination conducted on 3 May 2026, and to re-conduct the examination on dates that will be notified separately,” the agency says.
NTA says it had earlier referred the matter under consideration to central agencies on 8 May 2026 for independent verification and necessary action, consistent with its commitment to conducting 'fair, secure and credible' national examinations.
According to the agency, the material and findings received from investigating agencies established that 'the present examination process could not be allowed to stand'.
The fresh examination schedule and revised admit card issuance dates will be announced separately through official channels in the coming days.
NTA acknowledged that the cancellation and re-examination would cause inconvenience to lakhs of students and their families but maintained that protecting the integrity of the national examination system was paramount.
“This decision has been taken in the interest of students and in recognition of the trust on which the national examination system rests. The Agency is conscious that re-conduct will cause real and significant inconvenience to candidates and their families. NTA does not take that consequence lightly,” the statement says.
“The decision has been taken because the alternative would have caused greater and more lasting damage to that trust,” it added.
The agency clarified that registration data, candidature details and examination centres chosen by candidates for the May 2026 cycle will automatically be carried forward to the re-conducted examination.
“No fresh registration will be required, and no additional examination fee will be levied,” NTA says.
It further announced that examination fees already paid by students would be refunded, while the fresh examination would be conducted using the agency’s internal resources.
The Union government has simultaneously ordered a CBI inquiry into the allegations surrounding the examination process.
“The government of India has further decided to refer the matter to CBI for a comprehensive inquiry into the allegations therein,” NTA says, adding that it would extend full cooperation to the investigating agency and provide all records and materials required for the probe.
NTA also appealed to candidates and parents to rely only on official communications and ignore unverified claims circulating on social media platforms.
“Further communications, including the re-conducted examination dates and the re-issued admit-card schedule, will be issued through the official channels of the Agency. Candidates and parents are requested to rely only on these official channels and to disregard unverified reports circulating on social media,” it says.
NEET-UG is the country’s largest undergraduate medical entrance examination and serves as the gateway for admission to MBBS, BDS and other undergraduate medical courses across India.
Two years ago, amid countrywide protests and litigations by students for a probe into the allegations of paper leak, and on a reference from the ministry of education, CBI registered a first information report (FIR) to investigate alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG medical entrance exam. The economic offences unit (EOU) of the Bihar police had arrested 18 people in connection with the NEET UG paper leak case.
As reported by Moneylife, the results of the 2024 NEET, announced by the NTA, were full of surprises, including the total number of students who scored a perfect 720 marks, compared with fewer than five over the years. Not just a very high number of toppers, the NEET result also showed six toppers without a surname who scored perfect marks by appearing for the examination from the same centre in Haryana, as per their roll number.
According to NTA, the 67 top rankers include 14 women students, and most of these toppers are from Rajasthan. It says that 56.4% of the students have qualified for the exam to be held on 5 May 2024 at centres across the country and abroad. Over 2.4mn (million) students from 557 cities across India and 14 overseas locations appeared for this year's NEET exam.
