Security measures typically reserved for major political rallies and religious gatherings have been deployed for the NEET re-test scheduled on Sunday, following last month's paper leak controversy. Officials describe it as one of the most extensive security operations ever mounted for a public exam in India.
Dry Run and Multi-Agency Coordination
On Saturday, a joint team comprising paramilitary personnel, local police, district administration officials, and representatives of the National Testing Agency (NTA) conducted a comprehensive dry run at examination centres in Nagpur district to ensure smooth and fair conduct of the national-level medical entrance examination. All examination venues were sanitised, inspected, and sealed after the rehearsal exercise.
More than two lakh students across Maharashtra, including around 12,000 candidates from Nagpur, will appear for the test. Nagpur district has been allotted 30 examination centres, including one in a rural area.
Unprecedented Transport and Storage of Question Papers
In an unprecedented exercise, question papers were transported using Indian Air Force aircraft and helicopters before being shifted to designated safe houses and secure vaults under armed guard. Sealed consignments were escorted by police and paramilitary forces across Maharashtra before being placed in treasury vaults and bank lockers. The papers remain under round-the-clock surveillance and will be released only hours before the examination begins.
Multi-Agency Security Framework
Authorities have deployed a multi-agency security framework involving the NTA, district administrations, police departments, paramilitary forces, the Indian Air Force, the Department of Posts, and custodian banks. At the national level, the NTA has used extensive surveillance systems, including live CCTV monitoring, AI analysis of camera feeds, biometric verification, face authentication, and electronic jammers.
The extraordinary measures come in the wake of last month's paper leak controversy that raised serious concerns about the integrity of the examination process. Officials stated that the security operation is one of the most extensive ever mounted for a public exam in the country.
