Government Announces New NEET-UG Exam Date Amid Controversy

Significant Decision by the Government

In light of ongoing disputes surrounding the NEET-UG examination, the central government has made a pivotal decision in favor of students. Following the announcement of a new exam date by the National Testing Agency (NTA), Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan held a press conference to emphasize that the government will not tolerate any form of malpractice. He asserted that the decision to cancel the previous exam was made solely to protect the rights and future of the students.

New Exam Date and Additional Provisions

Immediately after NTA declared that the NEET-UG re-examination will take place on June 21, Dharmendra Pradhan stated during the press conference that a new admit card would be issued by June 14 or earlier. He also mentioned that students would receive an additional 15 minutes to complete the exam and would have the option to select their preferred examination center. Furthermore, he announced that starting next year, the exam will transition to a computer-based testing (CBT) format.

Reasons for Exam Cancellation

The Education Minister elaborated on the reasons behind the cancellation of the exam. He noted that after the exam held on May 3, several complaints were received by the NTA by May 7. Some objections claimed that questions from alleged 'guess papers' were similar to those in the actual exam. Following these concerns, discussions were held, and both the NTA and the government initiated a preliminary investigation in collaboration with the higher education department. The matter has since been referred to the relevant agencies of the Indian government for further inquiry.

Transition to Computer-Based Testing

In a significant announcement aimed at enhancing the transparency and security of future examinations, Dharmendra Pradhan revealed that the NEET-UG exam will shift to a computer-based testing (CBT) format starting next year. Currently, the exam is conducted in an offline mode using OMR sheets.

Official Statement

VIDEO | Delhi: Union Minister of Education Dharmendra Pradhan (@dpradhanbjp) addresses a press conference, says, "NTA has issued new date for NEET-UG Exam. The re-exam will be held on June 21. Our highest priority is the students and their future. The government has always… pic.twitter.com/hMVOzuyj7f

— Press Media (@MediaHouse) May 15, 2026