Following massive nationwide controversy, Union Education Minister clarifies that the NEET UG 2026 re-examination is set for June 21, with a shift to online testing next year

The National Testing Agency (NTA) has formally scheduled the fresh NEET UG 2026 re-examination for June 21, 2026, following the cancellation of the controversial May 3 test over widespread systemic irregularities.  Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan also revealed a major policy shift, stating that the medical entrance test will permanently transition to a Computer-Based Test (CBT) format starting next year to check future security breaches.

New guidelines for June 21

To handle student anxiety and logistical constraints, the NTA has extended the exam duration by 15 minutes, giving candidates a total of 3 hours and 15 minutes. The exam will run from 2:00 PM to 5:15 PM on Sunday, June 21. Officials close to the matter stated that the registration fee has been completely waived for affected candidates. Fresh admit cards for all eligible medical aspirants are slated to go live for download on the official NTA portal on June 14.

Shifting to an online format

The decision to abandon the traditional pen-and-paper OMR system comes after widespread complaints that physical sheets were the root vulnerability allowing the leaks to happen. Over 22 lakh candidates were affected when the original May 3 test across 5,432 centers was nullified. "NEET will transition to computer-based test mode from next year. OMR sheets are the root cause of the paper leak," the Education Minister stated during a press update.

Immediate impact on medical aspirants

Local coaching centers and student bodies have reacted with mixed emotions to the development. While the absolute clarity on the June 21 date brings relief, preparing for the exact same competitive syllabus under short notice is causing high stress levels across student communities. To aid displaced candidates, the NTA had opened a brief address and city preference correction window. The final results and subsequent medical counseling rounds are tentatively expected to go live in July 2026.