NEET UG 2026 Retest Date Announced Amid Nationwide Paper Leak Investigation
Students across India will appear again for NEET UG 2026 on June 21 after authorities cancelled the previous examination over serious allegations linked to question paper leakage and fraud.
Lakhs of medical aspirants across the country are preparing once again after the National Testing Agency confirmed a fresh date for the NEET UG 2026 examination. The retest will now be conducted on June 21, nearly weeks after the original exam was scrapped due to a major paper leak controversy.
The testing agency released the update on Friday and urged candidates not to believe rumours circulating on social media platforms. Officials stated that all future announcements, including admit cards and examination guidelines, would be shared only through official communication channels.
Earlier this month, NEET UG 2026 was held for admissions into medical and dental colleges across India. The entrance examination took place in hundreds of cities within the country and several overseas centres. However, soon after the exam concluded, allegations of leaked question papers triggered widespread concern among students and parents.
As pressure mounted from different states, the agency decided to cancel the examination completely. With this decision, nearly 23 lakh candidates are now required to take the test once again.
Investigating agencies have uncovered links pointing toward a larger network operating across multiple states. Rajasthan became the first major focus of the probe after suspicious question material reportedly surfaced in Sikar before the examination began.
According to preliminary findings, several questions from the leaked material closely matched the original Chemistry section of the NEET paper. Investigators observed similarities not only in the questions but also in the order of answer choices, strengthening doubts about an organized leak.
The Central Bureau of Investigation is continuing its inquiry and has already detained multiple suspects connected to the case. Officials suspect the leaked paper may have originated from Maharashtra before spreading to states such as Haryana, Kerala, Rajasthan, and Jammu and Kashmir.
Authorities also revealed that some candidates were allegedly charged huge amounts, reportedly reaching Rs 5 lakh, for access to leaked examination content.
The NTA clarified that students do not need to register again or make any additional payment for the upcoming re examination.
