The National Testing Agency conducted the NEET-UG 2026 re-examination today for approximately 22.79 lakh candidates [1].
The re-test follows a leak scandal that marred the previous examination, forcing the government to implement unprecedented security measures to restore the integrity of the medical entrance process.
The exam took place across 5,440 centers [2] located in 551 Indian cities [2] and 14 overseas locations [2]. For general candidates, the test ran from 2 p.m. to 5:15 p.m. [3]. Candidates with disabilities were granted an extension until 6:20 p.m. [3].
To prevent malpractice, the government deployed a massive surveillance network. Reports indicate the use of between 1 lakh [4] and 1.38 lakh CCTV cameras [2], along with 51,000 jammers [2]. This high-tech oversight aims to block unauthorized communication and monitor exam halls in real time.
"The Centre has taken strict measures to prevent any malpractice during the examination," Union Minister Ramdas Athawale said [5].
The National Testing Agency emphasized the need for stability during the high-stakes event. "We wish all candidates the very best and urge them to stay calm," an NTA spokesperson said [6].
The scale of the operation reflects the pressure on the NTA to ensure a transparent result. By utilizing AI watch capabilities and thousands of signal jammers, the agency sought to eliminate the vulnerabilities that led to the previous paper leak.
“The Centre has taken strict measures to prevent any malpractice during the examination.”
The massive scale of surveillance for the NEET-UG 2026 re-exam signals a crisis of confidence in India's standardized testing infrastructure. By deploying tens of thousands of jammers and over 100,000 cameras, the National Testing Agency is attempting to shift from a trust-based system to a surveillance-based one to combat systemic leaks and fraud in the competitive medical admissions process.
