The NEET-UG 2026 re-examination — India's largest medical entrance test — is scheduled for Sunday, 21 June 2026, after the original 3 May examination was cancelled following allegations of irregularities. The National Testing Agency (NTA), working in tandem with the Centre, state governments, police, district administrations, and paramilitary forces, has put in place what it describes as an end-to-end security architecture covering more than 22 lakh aspirants vying for seats in MBBS, BDS, and allied undergraduate medical programmes.

Scale of the Examination

The test will be conducted across 5,440 centres in 551 cities within India and 14 international locations, including centres in the UAE, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia. It will be offered in English and 12 Indian languages, making it one of the most linguistically inclusive examinations in the country. Reporting and biometric verification begin at 11 am, with the entry deadline set at 1:30 pm; the examination runs from 2 pm to 5:15 pm IST.

Security Architecture: Cameras, Jammers, and AI

More than 95,000 examination rooms have been equipped with 1,38,560 CCTV cameras, monitored live at the national, state, and ministry levels. The surveillance network is backed by AI-based analysis of CCTV feeds and 51,311 jammers supplied by Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL) and Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL). Each centre will have an average deployment of 40 to 50 security personnel, with a total of more than 2.5 lakh security personnel mobilised nationwide.

Personnel and Candidate Verification

Two invigilators will be stationed in every examination room, supported by more than 10 functionaries per centre. A total of 38,795 frisking personnel and 48,448 biometric staff have been deployed, with face authentication systems introduced to strengthen candidate verification. Around 6,700 observers and more than 100 virtual observers will oversee proceedings. Aadhaar-based biometric verification and frisking are mandatory at all centres.

Material Transport and Logistics

Question papers and OMR sheets will move under sealed, end-to-end protocols. GPS-enabled transport vehicles and police escorts have been deployed for examination material movement, with the Indian Air Force providing support in sensitive areas. The Department of Posts has also been mobilised. Confidential materials have been verified at custodian banks. A nationwide mock drill was conducted on 20 June to stress-test paper dispatch, entry processes, biometric systems, and emergency response mechanisms.

City-Wise Arrangements and Candidate Guidelines

In the National Capital Region, centres in Delhi, Gurugram, Ghaziabad, and Noida have been equipped with advanced surveillance. In Maharashtra, centres span Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, Nashik, and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. Southern states — Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Telangana, and Kerala — have strengthened deployments, while Kolkata, Patna, Bhubaneswar, Lucknow, and Prayagraj operate under enhanced protocols. In Madhya Pradesh, Bhopal alone hosts 32 dedicated centres, with West Central Railway running help desks at stations including Bhopal, Vidisha, Narmadapuram, Guna, and Ashoknagar.

Candidates must carry a printed admit card with a passport-sized photograph affixed, a 4x6-inch postcard-sized photograph, a valid photo ID — Aadhaar, PAN card, voter identity card, passport, or driving licence — and two additional passport-sized photographs. Electronic devices including mobile phones, smartwatches, Bluetooth devices, earphones, and calculators are prohibited. Ballpoint pens will be provided at all centres. The NTA has urged candidates to rely solely on official communication channels and disregard social media rumours about paper leaks. With the country watching closely after the May controversy, the agency says all arrangements are in place for a smooth and transparent examination.