NEW DELHI, June 12. After an unprecedented disruption to India's largest medical entrance examination, the National Testing Agency (NTA) will hold the NEET UG 2026 re-examination on June 21 (Sunday). The original test, conducted on May 3, 2026, was cancelled following reports of a paper leak and irregularities, and the fresh date was set with the approval of the Government of India. For more than 22 lakh aspirants, it means another round of preparation, anxiety and hope.
According to the NTA, Re-NEET 2026 will be conducted across 551 cities in India and 14 cities abroad. The paper will be held in a single shift from 2:00 pm to 5:15 pm in pen-and-paper (OMR) mode, with the timing including the formalities required at the centre. Conducting a re-test of this scale at such short notice is itself a major administrative challenge for the agency.
Why the exam was scrapped and rescheduled
The decision to cancel the May 3 test was taken on the basis of findings shared by central agencies and law-enforcement authorities. After reports of a paper leak and malpractice surfaced from several locations, the NTA annulled the exam to protect its integrity. Crucially, candidates do not need to apply again — all previous application details remain valid, and the fresh admit card will be issued on the same basis. There is no new fee and no new form; only a new date and a new hall ticket. For aspirants who had already endured one exam, the cancellation brought a mix of frustration and the relief that the process would be cleaned up.
Admit card and city intimation slip
The NTA has announced that the Re-NEET admit card will be published on its official website by June 14, 2026. Ahead of that, candidates can check their allotted examination city through the city intimation slip. Both documents can be downloaded by logging in at neet.nta.nic.in. Experts advise candidates to carefully verify the name, photograph, exam centre and reporting time printed on the admit card, and to contact the NTA helpline immediately if any discrepancy appears. The instructions on the hall ticket — what to carry and what is prohibited — should be read repeatedly, since even a small lapse can cause trouble at the centre.
Supreme Court and the demand for CBT mode
A writ petition was filed in the Supreme Court seeking that the re-examination be conducted in computer-based test (CBT) mode. The court dismissed the request for a CBT format and listed the matter after the vacation. In effect, the June 21 paper will be held in the traditional pen-and-paper mode, with candidates marking their responses on OMR sheets. This clarity is a relief for candidates, as they can now shape their strategy around a fixed format and avoid confusion over the mode of examination right before the test.