NTA cancels NEET UG 2026 examination, fresh test dates to be announced separately

MUMBAI: NEET (UG) 2026 stands cancelled.

The National Testing Agency, issued a statement concerning the examination conducted on 3 May 2026. The NEET was taken by 24 lakh candidates.


Upon subsequent review of the material available with the NTA, including inputs examined in coordination with the central agencies and findings communicated by law-enforcement authorities, the National Testing Agency, with the approval of the Government of India, has decided that the NEET (UG) 2026 examination conducted on 3 May 2026 cannot be permitted to stand. The examination will accordingly be conducted afresh on dates to be notified separately.





The decision follows developments arising out of inquiries initiated in multiple states after allegations surfaced regarding the circulation of question sets prior to the examination. Inputs received by the Agency from Rajasthan and Uttarakhand referred to sets of questions allegedly circulated in advance of the examination, portions of which were subsequently found to bear significant overlap with the actual NEET (UG) 2026 paper.

Investigators associated with the Rajasthan Police Special Operations Group are understood to have examined a question bank containing more than 400 questions circulated days before the examination, of which over 100 biology and chemistry questions allegedly showed substantial similarity with questions appearing in the final paper. Searches and field inquiries were subsequently conducted across multiple locations in Rajasthan, including Sikar, and in Dehradun. Certain coaching operators and intermediaries have also come under scrutiny as part of the inquiry.

Parallel material, including videos and copies of purported test-series papers, also surfaced from a coaching academy in Latur, Maharashtra, though local authorities there stated that no formal investigation had yet commenced at the time of reporting.

On 8 May 2026, the Agency referred the matters then under consideration to the competent central agencies for independent verification and such further action as was considered necessary. That step was taken in keeping with the agency’s obligation to preserve the integrity, security, and credibility of the national examinations entrusted to it.

The material presently available, considered cumulatively, did not permit the continuation of the existing examination process without compromising the standards of fairness and public confidence that govern national examinations. Revised examination dates, together with the schedule for issuance of fresh admit cards, will be announced through the official channels of the Agency in due course.

The Government of India has further decided to entrust the matter to the Central Bureau of Investigation for a comprehensive inquiry into the allegations that have arisen in connection with the examination. The National Testing Agency shall extend full cooperation to the investigating authorities and will provide all records, materials, and assistance required for the purposes of the inquiry.

The NTA said, it is conscious that the decision to re-conduct the examination will impose substantial inconvenience upon candidates and their families. That consequence has not been disregarded. The decision has nevertheless been taken because the preservation of institutional credibility and public trust in the examination system admits of no lesser course in the circumstances presently disclosed.

All registration data, candidature details, and examination-centre preferences submitted for the May 2026 cycle shall remain valid for the re-conducted examination. Candidates will not be required to undertake fresh registration, nor will any additional examination fee be charged. Examination fees already paid shall be refunded, and the re-conducted examination will be administered through the Agency’s internal resources.

Further communications, including revised examination dates and the schedule for issuance of fresh admit cards, will be released only through the official channels of the National Testing Agency. Candidates and parents are advised to rely exclusively on such official communications and to disregard unverified claims or reports circulating on social media or other informal platforms.

Ready to navigate global policies? Secure your overseas future. Get expert guidance now!