Bhubaneswar: Around 57,000 students will appear for the NEET (UG) 2026 re-examination across 132 centres at 27 towns in Odisha, with authorities saying they are leaving nothing to chance to ensure the retest is conducted smoothly and transparently. District administrations and police have been closely involved in the preparations, while strict surveillance and monitoring measures will be in place to keep a close watch on any attempt at malpractice.Hemant Sharma, additional chief secretary, home, told TOI on Friday that the state govt is fully prepared with foolproof arrangements for the NEET re-examination scheduled on June 21. “We have completed the arrangements at the examination centres, along with the process for deployment of manpower, security personnel and officials who will frisk candidates,” he said.Sharma said rehearsals of the examination arrangements have already been conducted, and another round will be held on Saturday. Personnel have been trained in taking biometric details of the candidates. “Every centre will be guarded by police and observers. The question papers will be brought to the strongroom under heavy security and transported to the centres under proper protection. Special arrangements have also been made to prevent rumour-mongering and avoid unnecessary panic or disturbances near the examination centres,” he said, adding the govt will also provide free transportation facilities to the candidates from railway stations and bus stands to their respective examination centres.Earlier, chief secretary Anu Garg conducted a detailed review meeting on preparations for the NEET re-examination. She directed the district administrations and police to ensure smooth, orderly and incident-free re-examination, also stressing the need for strict adherence to protocols to ensure it is held in a hassle-free and transparent manner.Observers from both National Testing Agency (NTA) and the state govt will oversee the examination process. The NTA will ensure strict compliance with standard operating procedures, multi-layered frisking of candidates and 100% CCTV coverage at all centres.Odisha DGP Y B Khurania has also reviewed the security arrangements at the examination centres, CCTV surveillance, the safety of bank lockers where question papers are stored, traffic management and emergency response systems. He directed all superintendents of police (SPs) and senior police officers to adopt a three-tier security system to maintain robust law and order and complete the re-examination process without disruption.Directions were also issued to intensify social media monitoring, keep the Cyber Cell on alert, and prior testing and verification of all security arrangements.Meanwhile, Khurda collector Amrit Ruturaj said arrangements have been made in accordance with the guidelines issued by the NTA and state govt. Police will escort question papers, and personnel will be deployed at all 26 examination centres in Khurda district.“Duty magistrates have been assigned to each centre. We have also arranged 108 free buses for students from Bhubaneswar and Khurda Road railway stations, as well as Khurda and Baramunda bus stands to all NEET re-examination centres in the district. Students can avail free transport by showing their NEET admit cards. We are closely working with the centre coordinators and superintendents for the smooth conduct of the re-examination,” he said.
