NEET-UG paper leak row: Retest for 1,563 candidates to take place today

The National Testing Agency (NTA) has announced that it will conduct a retest of the NEET-UG examination for 1,563 candidates at six centres in four states and a Union Territory on Sunday amid the paper leak row. NTA and Union Education Ministry officials will be present at the examination centres during the retest.

The retest has been scheduled to take place from 2 pm to 5:20 pm. The exam is being conducted after the NTA withdrew grace marks awarded to students who were compensated for loss of time due to delay in the start of the examination at six centres in Meghalaya, Haryana, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat and Chandigarh.

The students affected by the delay were granted grace marks and given an optional chance to appear in the exam.

The retest was announced after several allegations of irregularities in the medical entrance exam were being made, including paper leaks.

In the NEET-UG examination, six students scored perfect 720 marks along with 61 others, leading to allegations of inflation of marks.

"While all other examination centres have changed, the one in Chandigarh, where only two candidates will appear, will remain the same," said a senior NTA official.

"Besides, officials from the agency and the Union education ministry will also be present at these centres. The step has been taken to ensure smooth conduct of the re-exam," the official added.

On Thursday, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan ruled out the cancellation of NEET exams for now. He said the government cannot jeopardise the careers of lakhs of students who cleared the exam rightfully because of some incidents of malpractices.

The NEET-PG was scheduled to take place today but was later postponed. The Ministry of Health said that the decision was taken as a precautionary measure to maintain the integrity of the entrance exam.

This was the second competitive exam to be postponed after UGC-NET was cancelled after the exam paper was leaked on darknet.

Students in Rajkot held a protest against the re-examination of NEET-UG exam today.

A NEET-UG candidate, Palak told ANI, "I have scored 682 marks in the NEET-UG exams. There should be no Re-NEET exams as we have scored these marks with hard work and dedication."