NEET-UG 2026 Re-Exam Likely Before May 22, Says NTA DG After Cancellation

NEET-UG 2026 was cancelled over a paper leak scare, with NTA saying the re-exam schedule will be announced within 7-10 days.

The announcement has brought some relief to students and parents amid widespread anxiety following the cancellation.

Source : PTI

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Key points generated by AI, verified by newsroom

• NEET-UG 2026 exam canceled amid paper leak allegations.
• NTA investigating paper leak, handed matter to CBI.
• Re-examination to be announced within seven days.

The National Testing Agency’s decision to cancel NEET-UG 2026 over paper leak allegations has triggered fresh uncertainty for lakhs of medical aspirants, even as the agency assured students that a re-examination schedule would be announced within the next seven to 10 days. The timeline effectively indicates that the revised examination is likely to be held before May 22. NTA Director General Abhishek Singh said the agency adopted a “zero tolerance policy” after evidence suggested that parts of the question paper had circulated before the exam.

Leak Probe Intensifies

Speaking in Delhi, Abhishek Singh said the matter has now been handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation and assured strict action against those involved.

According to the NTA chief, the agency received information from a whistleblower on the night of May 7 claiming that a WhatsApp message containing questions matching the NEET-UG paper had circulated before the examination. An internal verification reportedly found that several questions matched the official paper and that PDF files containing the material were present on a few mobile phones on May 1 and 2-before the May 3 examination.

#WATCH | Delhi: On NEET-UG 2026 exam cancelled due to allegations of paper leak, NTA DG Abhishek Singh says, "...We have handed over the matter to CBI. All accused will be nabbed and jailed so that the future of students are not adversely impacted. We will conduct a re-exam for… pic.twitter.com/8Lal04AOuI

— ANI (@ANI) May 12, 2026

Singh said the findings violated the agency’s zero tolerance approach and raised concerns about fairness for students who had prepared honestly for the examination.

“All accused will be nabbed and jailed so that the future of students is not adversely impacted,” he said.

Re-Exam Before May 22 Likely

The NTA has confirmed that NEET-UG 2026 will be conducted again and stressed that the fresh examination process would be transparent and fair. The agency also announced that candidates would not have to pay any additional fee for the re-test. Fees already paid for the cancelled examination will be refunded.

The announcement has brought some relief to students and parents amid widespread anxiety following the cancellation. However, uncertainty remains over the revised schedule, admission timelines and the impact on the broader medical counselling process.

With the NTA indicating that the new schedule will be announced within seven to 10 days, the re-examination is now expected to take place before May 22, making the coming days crucial for lakhs of aspirants across the country.