New Delhi: The Government of India officially cancelled the NEET-UG 2026 undergraduate medical entrance examination on Tuesday following mounting evidence of a paper leak and systemic irregularities. This significant move comes after the exam was conducted on May 3 for over 2.2 million students across more than 5,400 centres globally. In an effort to maintain the sanctity of the competitive process, the Ministry of Education has now handed the entire investigation over to the Central Bureau of Investigation for a thorough criminal probe into the allegations.
The National Testing Agency released a statement explaining that the decision followed a detailed review of inputs provided by law enforcement and central agencies. Officials concluded that the integrity of the original examination had been compromised to a degree that made the results untenable. While acknowledging the significant stress and inconvenience this causes for students and their families, the agency maintained that allowing the compromised results to stand would result in a greater long-term loss of public trust in the national medical admission system.
Candidates who sat for the May 3 session will not need to re-register or pay additional fees for the upcoming re-examination, as the original candidature details and centre selections will remain valid for the new date. Furthermore, the agency has committed to refunding previously paid fees, opting to fund the re-conducted test through its internal resources. Dates for the new examination and the release of revised admit cards are expected to be announced shortly through official NTA communication channels.
The NEET-UG serves as the sole gateway for admissions into MBBS and BDS programmes across India, making it one of the most high-stakes academic events in the country. This year’s session saw approximately 22.79 lakh students appearing in hundreds of cities across India and abroad. The government’s swift transition to a CBI inquiry signals a zero-tolerance policy toward academic malpractice as they look to restore confidence in the national testing framework.
