New Delhi: The National Testing Agency (NTA) on Tuesday cancelled the NEET 2026 examination held on May 3 and announced that the test will be conducted again on fresh dates to be announced later.
The agency said the decision was taken after reviewing inputs in coordination with central agencies and findings shared by law enforcement authorities. It added that the move was aimed at ensuring transparency and maintaining public confidence in the examination system.
In its statement, the NTA said the Government of India had approved the cancellation after investigative findings indicated that the integrity of the examination process had been compromised.
The government has also directed the Central Bureau of Investigation to carry out a detailed probe into allegations linked to the exam. The NTA said it would fully cooperate with the investigation and provide all required records and materials.
The revised schedule for the re-examination and fresh admit cards will be announced through official channels in the coming days, the agency said.
NEET-UG 2026, conducted on May 3 for undergraduate medical admissions, had been held under extensive security arrangements, including GPS-tracked transport of question papers, unique watermark identifiers and AI-assisted CCTV monitoring from a central control room.
Earlier, the NTA had acknowledged reports regarding action taken by the Rajasthan Special Operations Group over alleged irregularities connected to the exam. According to the agency, information about suspected malpractice surfaced on May 7 and was forwarded to central agencies the following day for verification and further action.
The agency said the detentions and action reported in the media reflected the timely work of investigating authorities.
