The National Testing Agency (NTA) announced on Friday that it will conduct a nationwide mock drill on June 20, a day before the NEET-UG 2026 re-examination scheduled across the country. The drill aims to ensure the smooth conduct of the re-test, which will be held on June 21 after the original May 3 exam was cancelled due to allegations of a paper leak. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is currently investigating the matter.
The re-examination will involve nearly 23 lakh candidates at over 5,000 centres in India and 14 centres abroad. The NTA has intensified communication with candidates, sending reminder SMS messages, emails, and WhatsApp notifications urging them to download their fresh admit cards.
The agency has cautioned candidates against fake messages and fraudulent communications related to the exam. Official messages will only be sent from the sender ID "NICPEP" and emails from "no-reply.neet.nta@nic.in". The NTA warned that it will never ask for payments, share question papers, answer keys, or send admit cards through unofficial links.
Candidates who have already downloaded their admit cards for the June 21 exam do not need to download them again. The NTA clarified that admit cards issued for the May 3 exam are no longer valid, as many candidates have been assigned new centres and roll numbers. The advisory came after some users posted screenshots on social media questioning the last-minute changes.
Meanwhile, the NTA has dismissed claims circulating online about the NEET-UG re-examination paper being leaked. NTA Director General Abhishek Singh called such claims "fake" and assured that the question papers are secure. "They are fake, and question papers are safe," Singh said, as quoted by news agency ANI.
Singh added that multiple security layers have been implemented at every stage, including question paper preparation, translation, printing, transportation, and storage. The agency has coordinated with various government departments and security agencies to ensure a smooth examination process. Singh reiterated the NTA's commitment to conducting a "flawless" examination and preventing any malpractice.
