Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Wednesday acknowledged lapses in the conduct of NEET (UG) 2026, which was cancelled earlier following allegations of a paper leak. However, he said the government acted swiftly to rectify the shortcomings and successfully conducted the re-examination.
Speaking on the issue, Pradhan said the Centre accepted responsibility for the shortcomings and took corrective measures to restore confidence in the examination process.
“We accept that there were lapses on our side and we corrected them,” the minister said.
Government Prioritised Students’ Interests
Pradhan stated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had made it clear that the interests and future of students must remain the government’s top priority.
He urged NEET aspirants and their families to maintain faith in the examination system, asserting that extensive efforts had been undertaken to strengthen the process and prevent irregularities.
According to the minister, both the central and state governments worked together to ensure the smooth conduct of the re-examination.
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Crackdown on Paper Leak Networks
The Education Minister said the government would continue its action against those involved in examination malpractices and paper leak networks.
He announced that a fast-track judicial mechanism would be established to expedite trials related to examination fraud and organised paper leak cases.
Pradhan emphasised that protecting the interests of students remains a key priority and assured strict action against those attempting to compromise the integrity of competitive examinations.
Responds to Opposition Criticism
Addressing criticism from opposition parties over the deployment of security agencies during the examination process, Pradhan defended the measures adopted by the government.
He argued that the use of resources from the Indian Air Force, Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) and state police was aimed solely at ensuring a secure and transparent examination environment for candidates.
The minister also criticised opposition leaders for politicising issues related to student welfare and examination reforms.
Enhanced Security Measures for Re-Examination
The National Testing Agency (NTA) said the NEET (UG) 2026 re-examination was conducted with extensive security arrangements across the country.
According to the agency, more than 20 lakh candidates appeared for the examination at 5,440 centres across India and 14 centres overseas.
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The examination was conducted in 13 languages, including Hindi and English.
NTA stated that Aadhaar-based biometric verification, facial authentication systems, CCTV surveillance, signal jammers and two-layer frisking procedures were deployed at examination centres with support from state law enforcement agencies.
Focus on Restoring Confidence
The government has maintained that the re-examination process was designed to restore credibility and public trust following concerns raised over the original examination.
Officials said continued monitoring and institutional reforms would be undertaken to strengthen examination security and ensure greater transparency in future recruitment and admission tests.
