New Delhi: In a major development that will affect lakhs of medical aspirants, the National Testing Agency (NTA), with the approval of the Government of India, has cancelled the NEET (UG) 2026 examination conducted on May 3, 2026. Nearly 22 lakh candidates took the exam.
The agency will now re-conduct the exam on new dates, which will be announced separately in due course.
This decision was taken after the NTA detected irregularities and shared them with central agencies for independent verification.
Sources said that the examination was cancelled due to a ‘guess paper’ leak in Rajasthan.
“The National Testing Agency wishes to inform candidates, parents, and members of the public of the following decisions taken in respect of NEET (UG) 2026. NTA had, on 8 May 2026, referred the matters then under consideration to the central agencies for independent verification and necessary action, consistent with its standing commitment to the fair, secure, and credible conduct of the national examinations entrusted to it,” the NTA posted on X.
“On the basis of the inputs subsequently examined by NTA in coordination with the central agencies, and the investigative findings shared by the law enforcement agencies and in order to ensure that there is transparency in the system, the National Testing Agency, with the approval of the Government of India, has decided to cancel the NEET (UG) 2026 examination conducted on 3 May 2026, and to re-conduct the examination on dates that will be notified separately,” it added.
The inputs received by NTA, taken together with the findings shared by the law enforcement agencies, established that the present examination process could not be allowed to stand, it has been mentioned.
“The re-conducted examination dates, along with the re-issued admit-card schedule, will be communicated through the official channels of the Agency in the coming days,” the NTA said.
“The Government of India has further decided to refer the matter to the Central Bureau of Investigation for a comprehensive inquiry into the allegations therein. NTA will extend full cooperation to the Bureau and will provide all materials, records, and assistance the inquiry requires,” it added.
“This decision has been taken in the interest of students and in recognition of the trust on which the national examination system rests. The Agency is conscious that re-conduct will cause real and significant inconvenience to candidates and their families. NTA does not take that consequence lightly. The decision has been taken because the alternative would have caused greater and more lasting damage to that trust,” the NTA stated.
“The registration data, candidature, and examination centres opted for in the May 2026 cycle will be carried forward to the re-conducted examination. No fresh registration will be required, and no additional examination fee will be levied. In addition, fees already paid, will be refunded to the students and the exam will be re-conducted using NTA’s internal resources,” the agency posted.
Further communications, including the re-conducted examination dates and the re-issued admit-card schedule, will be issued through the official channels of the Agency.
“Candidates and parents are requested to rely only on these official channels and to disregard unverified reports circulating on social media,” NTA has said.
It has also shared the helpline – neet-ug@nta.ac.in | 011-40759000 / 011-69227700 – through which candidates can know more.
