NEET re-exam date out; Students won’t pay again, get refunds and extra OMR time

Dharmendra Pradhan briefs the media on NEET UG 2026 at 19 Teen Murti Marg in New Delhi on Friday morning. Pic/ Screengrab

The National Testing Agency (NTA) has announced that the re-examination for NEET (UG) 2026 will be conducted on Sunday, June 21, 2026, following approval from the Government of India.

In an official notice, the NTA urged candidates and parents to rely only on its authorised communication channels for updates and information related to the examination.

Dharmendra Pradhan address media at 10:55 am in Delhi

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan briefed the media on NEET UG 2026 at 10:55 am on Friday at 19 Teen Murti Marg in New Delhi.

Dharmendra Pradhan assures strict action in NEET-UG 2026 leak case

The Union Education Minister said the government has adopted a "zero tolerance" approach towards the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak case and assured students that strict action would be taken against those involved.

Speaking to the media, the minister said the National Testing Agency (NTA) has announced June 21 as the new date for the NEET-UG 2026 re-examination.

Government detected leak after May 7

Pradhan said the May 3 examination came under suspicion after reports emerged on May 7 that a so-called "guess paper" contained questions similar to those in the actual NEET paper.

"The government investigated the matter and between May 7 and May 11, it became clear that the real paper had been leaked in the name of a guess paper. The paper mafia leaked the examination paper," he said.

He added that despite multiple security protocols being in place, the examination had to be cancelled following confirmation of the leak.

‘Paper mafia challenging the system'

The Union minister said the leak was spread through various social media channels and alleged that "paper mafia" networks were attempting to challenge the examination system.

"The CBI will conduct a deep investigation into the matter. We will not tolerate any compromise with students' futures," Pradhan said.

Appealing to students to remain calm, he urged them not to fall prey to misinformation or panic created by those involved in the leak.

"We believe in our students. I request all students to appear for the examination without fear or stress," he added.

What changes for the NEET re-exam?

The minister also announced several measures for the upcoming re-examination:

No examination fee will be charged for the June 21 re-exam
NTA will issue an annexure related to the revised process
Students will get a one-week window to choose their preferred exam city
Admit cards will be issued by June 14
15 minutes provided to fill the OMR sheet
The next year's exam will be computer-based

Pradhan further asserted that the NTA remains committed to conducting error-free examinations with enhanced safeguards in place.