India news: Millions of students retake NEET amid protests
06/21/2026 June 21, 2026 NEET-UG students set to retake high-stakes test across India Students have a strict dress code for the exam, including a no-closed
06/21/2026 June 21, 2026 NEET-UG students set to retake high-stakes test across India Students have a strict dress code for the exam, including a no-closed shoe rule Image: Amit Dave/REUTERS About 2.2 million pre-med students are set to retake the Eligibility cum Entrance Test - Undergraduate (NEET-UG) across over 5,400 centers in 551 cities under heavy security measures. Students will take the 195-minute exam under strict dress code and testing rules. The NEET-UG is an all-India pre-medical exam which is the first step towards building a career in the medical profession — a highly sought after trade in India.
This is the second time these students will take the exam in less than two months, after their first attempt was canceled due to question paper leaks. The government has taken several new measures over the last weeks to ensure the integrity of the retest, including temporarily banning the messenger app Telegram, and having the Indian Air Force deliver the sealed question papers across India. Police and exam centre administrations have conducted mock drills in case of a security threat Image: Praful Gangurde/Hindustan Times/Sipa USA/picture alliance The pen-and paper test is highly susceptible to leaks due to the scale of the test and high number of handlers in the process.
But students an critics have blamed the Testing Agency (NTA) — which is responsible for highly competitive national-level entrance exams — for corruption and participating in cheating networks. In the case of NEET-UG 2026, many students reported that question papers were being sold on Telegram ahead of the May exam. This is not just a test for the students but also for India's Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan who has been facing calls for resignation since the leak. Speaking at an International Yoga Day event in Delhi University, Pradhan said he had full faith in the NTA, local governments and the education fraternity.
"Today, around 22 lakh students are going to sit for NEET after a short while. They should sit fearlessly and free of anxiety. They will certainly do well. My many good wishes to the students," he said, as per a Press Trust of India report. At least 12 NEET students have taken their own lives in just 37 days, according to a report by The Indian Express. Many left notes saying the pressure of the exam was too much to bear. Some feared re-taking the exam.
The BriefWire