Over 22L students to appear for NEET-UG re-exam today
What's the story
Over 22 lakh medical aspirants are set to appear for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) re-exam on Sunday. The test will be held from 2:00pm to 5:15pm, with candidates eligible for compensatory time allowed until 6:20pm. The National Testing Agency (NTA) has taken extensive measures to ensure a smooth examination process after a paper leak led to the cancellation of the May exam.
Security measures
What students must carry to exam hall
The NTA has asked students to carry their admit cards, valid photo IDs, and two passport-size photographs. They should report to centers between 11:00am and 1:30pm. The question papers are being airlifted by the Indian Air Force to secure their chain of custody. A nationwide mock drill was conducted by the NTA on Saturday to ensure everything runs smoothly on test day.
Minister's directive
Education minister holds review meeting
Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan held a high-level review meeting on Thursday, directing authorities to ensure the examination process is conducted with utmost integrity, transparency, and efficiency. He announced that officers from the Ministry of Education would be deployed across states to coordinate activities related to the re-examination. These officers will report to a central command center headed by the NTA Director General.
Exam logistics
Comprehensive arrangements for NEET re-exam
The NTA has made "comprehensive arrangements" for the NEET re-exam across 5,440 centers in India and 14 centers abroad. The exam will be conducted in English and 12 Indian languages, with more than 95,000 examination rooms equipped with CCTV cameras. A total of 1,38,560 CCTV cameras have been installed and monitored virtually at different levels. To prevent electronic malpractice during the test, a whopping 51,311 jammers have been deployed by the agency.
Security deployment
Security strengthened across all exam centers
State and district administrations have been mobilized for the NEET re-exam. The NTA has deployed police, paramilitary forces, Indian Air Force personnel, and Department of Posts officials to ensure security remains strong. On average, around 40 to 50 security personnel have been deployed at each examination center. Bank officials are also on duty at approximately 1,500 bank branches holding confidential material related to the exam.
Verification measures
Candidate verification process strengthened
The NTA has strengthened candidate verification with a large number of frisking staff (38,795) and biometric personnel (48,448). A Centre Systems Officer (CSO) is present at each examination center to monitor CCTV feeds and resolve technical issues. The agency has also warned against rumor-mongering regarding any paper leaks, advising students to rely only on official communication for accurate information.
Center controversy
Controversy over UAE exam center allocation
A controversy erupted when Abdullah Mohammad Talib, a candidate from Nagpur, was allotted an exam center in Abu Dhabi. Talib had chosen Nagpur, Wardha, and Bhandara as his preferred cities during the application process. The NTA clarified that the city change was made through the candidate's registered login with a consistent single-user access pattern. It assured that no candidate would miss the examination due to administrative doubts.