NEET-UG 2025 Retest Held for Over 20 Lakh Candidates Under Unprecedented Security Across India
The National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test for Undergraduate courses (NEET-UG) retest was conducted across India on Sunday under extraordinary security arrangements, more than a month after the original examination was cancelled on May 12 following allegations of a question paper leak.
More than 20 lakh candidates appeared for the pen-and-paper examination, which was held at 5,440 centres across the country and 14 centres overseas.
In a statement, the National Testing Agency (NTA) described the exercise as a “whole-of-government effort” that involved the coordinated participation of multiple ministries, security agencies and state administrations.
According to the NTA, over seven lakh personnel, including police officers, security staff, invigilators and examination officials, were deployed to ensure the smooth and secure conduct of the examination.
The agency also said that multiple sets of question papers for the retest were prepared by experts drawn from academic institutions across the country.
To prevent any recurrence of irregularities, the examination was conducted with support from several central agencies and ministries, including the Indian Air Force, the Department of Posts, the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Ministry of External Affairs, the Central Armed Police Forces, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
State governments and district administrations also played a key role in the arrangements.
Authorities implemented stringent security measures at examination centres, including Aadhaar-based biometric authentication, CCTV surveillance, signal jammers and mandatory frisking of candidates with the assistance of state police forces.
Several states additionally arranged facilities at examination centres and provided free transportation for students to ensure they could reach their venues without difficulty.
The surveillance network established for the examination was extensive. CCTV feeds from examination centres were monitored in real time from control rooms at the NTA headquarters, the Ministry of Education, district collectorates and 34 centrally funded institutions spread across the country.
Special arrangements were also made for candidates facing serious medical challenges.
The NTA said accommodations were provided for 81 students with health conditions, including a candidate undergoing chemotherapy and another who had recently met with a road accident.
Among them was Shrishti Dubey, who had undergone surgery after being injured in an accident a week before the examination.
She was provided with a separate room at an examination centre in West Bengal, while medical assistance and an ambulance remained on standby throughout the examination to ensure her safety and comfort.
Ahead of the retest, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan expressed confidence in the elaborate arrangements put in place for the examination.
He said he had complete faith in the National Testing Agency, state governments, district administrations, India’s education system and the country’s students.
The minister also made an emotional appeal to the public, urging people not to undermine the future of young aspirants or engage in actions that could adversely affect their mental well-being.
Referring to past controversies surrounding the examination, Pradhan said that some individuals had acted with malicious intentions and caused distress to students.
He appealed to such people to act responsibly and refrain from doing anything that could create additional hardship for candidates, emphasising that protecting the interests and mental health of students should remain a collective responsibility.
