03 May,2026 06:55 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondent
Aspirants, accompanied by their parents, outside an examination centre in Gurugram as they arrive to appear for the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) UG 2026. PIC/ PTI
The National Testing Agency (NTA) is conducting the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) (UG) 2026 on Sunday from 2 PM to 5 PM across India and abroad, with over 22.79 lakh candidates appearing at more than 5,400 centres.
According to the NTA, all preparations are in place for conducting NEET (UG) 2026, which is being held today from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM (IST) in pen-and-paper mode. The exam is being conducted across 551 cities in India and 14 cities abroad.
With around 22.79 lakh registered candidates, NEET (UG) 2026 remains one of the largest entrance examinations globally.
Special provisions, including extra time, have been made for candidates with disabilities. Candidates with disabilities (PwD/PwBD) eligible for compensatory time will be allowed to write the exam until 6:00 PM.
Over 2 lakh personnel have been deployed to ensure the smooth and fair conduct of the examination across all centres.
In Kanyakumari, a total of 4,945 candidates are appearing for the NEET examination at 10 centres across the district. Students were seen waiting outside exam venues despite the scorching heat.
Ten examination centres have been set up in the district, including Carmel Higher Secondary School, SLB School, and SMRV School in Vadassery, Nagercoil. Candidates began arriving as early as 10:00 AM.
Aspirants across the country were seen reaching examination centres in various cities, including Anantnag (Jammu and Kashmir), Jaipur (Rajasthan), and Coimbatore (Tamil Nadu), to appear for the medical entrance exam.
The Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (MSBSHSE) last week declared the Class 12 (HSC) results with an overall pass percentage of 89.79 per cent, marking a decline of 2.09 percentage points from last year's 91.88 per cent. The board attributed the dip to the strict implementation of a copy-free campaign, CCTV surveillance, and disciplinary action across examination centres.
Mumbai division performed fifth-best in the state, with a passing percentage of 90.08. Announcing the results, Board Chairman Trigun Kulkarni said the anti-copying drive was implemented rigorously across all nine divisional boards.
The board has opened applications for mark verification, photocopies of answer sheets, and re-evaluation from May 3 to May 17, to be submitted online.
Students seeking to improve their performance can also appear under the Class Improvement Scheme, with up to three attempts scheduled between June 2026 and July 2027.
(With ANI inputs)
