More than a month after the NEET-UG paper was cancelled, aspirants are all set to appear for the re-examination scheduled to be held on Sunday, June 21. The past month has been full of anxiety and stress for students, and the government was facing massive backlash over the paper leak that led to the May 3 cancellation.
But the National Testing Agency (NTA) has geared up to ensure the smooth conduct of Sunday’s exam, significantly enhancing security arrangements this time “to ensure a fair, safe and appropriate test for candidates”.
On the eve of the much-awaited exam, the NTA has detailed security arrangements, which include deployment of 51,311 jammers, 1,38,560 CCTV cameras and additional exam staff, among others.
Here’s a look at the preparations:
- CCTV cameras: Each of the 95,000 examination rooms will have a CCTV camera and monitors. Each examination center will have more than ten additional examination staff. AI tools also analyze surveillance camera footage to detect suspicious activity. About 6,700 invigilators at exam centres, supported by more than 100 virtual invigilators, will monitor the live CCTV feed.
- Inspection: Verification of candidates taking the exam is expected to be extremely challenging, with 48,448 staff assigned to biometric verification, with the biometric workforce doubled and supported by facial verification technology. Moreover, the verification process of candidates has been strengthened by 38,795 inspection personnel.
- Omani Riyal paper collection: Bank officials are stationed in about 1,500 branches of the Custody Bank, while the Postal Department will collect Omani Riyal notes from about 700 centers nationwide.
- Intensive security deployment: State and district administrations, police, paramilitary forces, Indian Air Force and Postal Department were mobilized. Each center has approximately 40 to 50 security personnel. A nationwide mock exercise was conducted (June 20, 2026) to test CCTV, jammers, inspection procedures, biometrics and availability of materials.
- Supporting candidates: Amid the intense heat in most places, exam centers will provide drinking water, oral rehydration salts, ambulances, and shaded waiting areas. Candidates will have wall clocks, additional work pages (including accommodations for left-handed candidates), and a longer testing window to accommodate admissions procedures.
The NTA has repeatedly clarified that no paper leakage occurred before retesting. The testing agency is monitoring social media and taking action against rumors and fake claims regarding leak of papers, urging candidates and parents to rely only on official communications.
Read also: HC upholds Telegram ban order before NEET
NEET-UG exam will be conducted from 2 PM to 5:15 PM (IST) in pen and paper mode. The exam is being conducted in 551 cities in India and 14 cities abroad for over 22.79 lakh candidates.
