Srinagar, Jun 20: Authorities across Jammu and Kashmir have completed extensive preparations for the smooth and fair conduct of the NEET UG 2026 re-examination scheduled to be held on Sunday, June 21. Mock drills were conducted at examination centres across the Union Territory as part of efforts to assess preparedness and strengthen security arrangements ahead of the crucial medical entrance test.
A strong security grid has been established at all examination centres. Dog squads, police personnel and security forces have been deployed to ensure strict monitoring and prevent any malpractice. Senior officers from the police and civil administration inspected examination centres across J&K and reviewed arrangements related to security, transportation of examination materials and candidate management.
The re-examination is being conducted nearly seven weeks after the original test was cancelled following allegations of a paper leak. The controversy triggered nationwide protests, political debate and legal challenges, eventually leading to the decision to hold a fresh examination under enhanced security measures.
According to official figures, more than 22.79 lakh candidates are expected to appear in the examination across the country. The test will be conducted from 2:00 PM to 5:15 PM in 551 cities across India and 14 cities abroad. Candidates belonging to the PwD and PwBD categories and eligible for compensatory time will be allowed to continue writing the examination until 6:20 PM.
The National Testing Agency has directed candidates to report to their centres between 11:00 AM and 1:30 PM. Officials have made it clear that entry gates will close at 1:30 PM and no candidate will be allowed to enter the examination centre after the deadline.
The NTA said it has worked closely with district administrations, police departments and escort teams to ensure the secure handling and transportation of confidential examination materials. A total of 674 city coordinators have been assigned to oversee operations at the city level, while 6,669 observers have been deployed to independently monitor examination centres. Centre superintendents and invigilators have also been appointed at every venue.
More than two lakh personnel, including police and district administration officials, have been mobilised across the country for the conduct of the examination. The Indian Air Force has also been engaged for the secure transportation of question papers as part of enhanced security arrangements.
The Union Education Minister has chaired a series of high-level review meetings to assess preparedness. The government has also temporarily restricted access to Telegram, with authorities stating that the measure is aimed at curbing cheating networks.
The NTA has introduced a multi-layered security framework, including sealed handling of confidential materials, GPS-enabled vehicles with police escorts, CCTV surveillance linked to central control rooms and Aadhaar-based biometric authentication to prevent impersonation and ensure a transparent examination process.
