NEW DELHI: The National Testing Agency (NTA) will use the Indian Air Force (IAF) to speed up the distribution of question papers for the National Eligibility Examination with the entrance test scheduled on June 21 for undergraduates or the re-test of NEET-UG 2026, which is being conducted during the monsoon season that affects road connectivity in some parts of India.
NTA’s aim in using IAF is to halve the delivery time from the usual 8-10 days to 4-5 days, officials familiar with the matter said on Monday.
The agency will have to conduct an exercise, within 38 days, which usually takes about six months of preparation, officials added. The retest was announced on May 15, and the compressed timeline required the agency to recreate the entire testing cycle — from paper preparation and translation to printing and distribution — in just over a month.
The decision to engage the IAF is aimed at ensuring safe and timely transportation of confidential question papers to over 550 cities, including remote and weather-sensitive locations like Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep, ahead of the June 21 exam.
“Normally, it takes eight to 10 days to transport question papers. With the support of the IAF, we expect this to be reduced to four-five days,” an NTA official, requesting anonymity, said.
The NTA canceled the NEET-UG 2026 exam on May 12, nine days after 2.27 million students took the exam in 551 cities. The move came after central agencies confirmed that the question paper had been hacked. Questions were available on some people’s phones as early as May 1, two days before the exam. This was the second time in two years that NEET-UG had fallen into mystery, prompting the NTA to hand over the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and schedule the re-examination on June 21 for over 2.2 million aspirants.
NTA question papers are prepared through a confidential, multi-layered process involving subject matter experts, moderators and translators. After the final paper is approved, the encrypted digital files are sent to dedicated high-security printing presses, where the question papers are printed, packed and sealed under strict monitoring and security protocols. The sealed packages are then transported via road through secure logistics channels to designated storage points and inspection centers across the country, with access restricted to authorized officials at each stage to maintain the integrity and confidentiality of the inspection.
NTA officials said the biggest challenge is the movement of question papers across the country during the ongoing monsoon season. Parts of Bihar and Assam are prone to floods, while heavy rains often disrupt connectivity in the northeast. Remote island centers also pose logistical difficulties.
“Question papers must reach each center within a narrow window. The Air Force’s assistance gives us the ability to move cargo quickly and reliably despite weather and geographic constraints,” the official quoted above said.
According to NTA officials, the sealed question paper packets will be airlifted to designated locations before being sent through established security channels.
