The BRICS TimesThe head of India’s top exam body broke his silence defending the NEET-UG 2026 cancellation as a necessary step for long-term reform, even as nearly 23 lakh students face the anguish of waiting all over again.
A Bold But Painful Decision
It was a call that shook the nation but NTA Director General Abhishek Singh says it had to be made. Speaking to the media in New Delhi, Singh defended the cancellation of NEET-UG 2026 as a bold move that protects the long-term interests of students.
The exam held on May 3 across more than 5,400 centres in 551 cities was scrapped after shocking findings came to light. Some questions from the actual paper were found circulating on mobile phones before exam day. That discovery, Singh explained, left the NTA with no choice.
“It was our job to verify those allegations and also to verify whether those PDFs were available to anyone before May 3 the day of the exam. Upon checking, it was found that some questions matched our question paper. It was also found that on May 1 and 2, the PDF was available on the phones of a few people,” he said.
Zero Tolerance And Zero Hesitation
Singh called the leak a direct blow to the agency’s core values. For him, allowing the results to stand would have been far worse a betrayal of the millions who studied honestly.
“This was against our zero-tolerance policy. This would have impacted the future of students preparing hard for the exam. So, in their interest, we took this step,” he said.
The NTA handed over the entire matter to the Central Bureau of Investigation. The CBI has since registered an FIR covering charges of criminal conspiracy, cheating, criminal breach of trust, and offences under the Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024.
“We have handed over the matter to CBI. All accused will be nabbed and jailed so that the future of students is not adversely impacted. We will conduct a re-exam for students and it will be done in a fair manner,” Singh added.
No Extra Burden on Students
In a significant relief for aspirants, Singh announced that the original exam fee will be fully refunded. Students will not pay any additional charge for the re-examination. No fresh registration is needed either all existing candidature details, centre preferences, and registration data from the May 2026 cycle remain valid.
The re-exam date will be announced within 7–10 days, Singh confirmed ensuring the admission schedule for MBBS, BDS, and other undergraduate medical courses stays on track.
Around 22.79 lakh students had appeared for NEET-UG 2026 making this one of the largest exam cancellations in India’s history.
The Bigger Picture Systemic Reform
Singh framed this episode painful as it is as a wake-up call that India’s examination system badly needs. The cancellation, he argued, is not just about punishing wrongdoers. It is about building an exam ecosystem that future generations can trust.
Authorities detained a final-year BMC student in Nashik in connection with the leak who is to be handed over to Rajasthan Police. The Rajasthan State Operations Group had earlier flagged the irregularities, triggering the chain of events leading to the cancellation.
Education Minister Stays Silent
Notably, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan refused to take questions from reporters on the cancellation leaving Singh to face the media alone. The minister’s silence drew criticism from opposition groups and student communities across the country.
The NTA, meanwhile, reiterated that the decision was made only after thorough coordination with central agencies and that law enforcement findings left little room for doubt.
