Annamalai criticises NEET retest security setup, says it adds pressure on students

Chennai: The arrangements for a high-level, classified, military-grade security and AI face recognition for NEET retest on June 21 only add to the already ballooning exam pressure of candidates and would create a new set of problems, former BJP state chief K Annamalai said on Tuesday. Expressing concern over the kind of security to be enforced on the young minds for conducting the NEET retest, Annamalai said "while the government has taken measures to contain leaks, they have forgotten the additional burden they have imposed on a student before they take up an assessment, one that they have spent months preparing for, dissolving the entire purpose of our exam system and the NEP 2020's goal to reduce "exam stress".

"Two-tier CRPF+CISF escort with IAF airlift. 4-layer CCTV with AI surveillance. Biometric & facial recognition before entry. Multiple layers of frisking. Multi-level oversight with direct monitoring from the prime minister's office. Yes, you read it right. But these are not arrangements to buy high-level, classified, military-grade software.

These are the arrangements made by the Ministry of Education for the NEET retest scheduled for June 21, 2026," Annamalai said on 'X'. Every student would appreciate the government's efforts to prevent paper leaks by implementing additional security measures and enhanced monitoring.

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But an increase in scrutiny before entry, extended frisking, and an increase in the overall exam time from 180 minutes to 195 minutes will only add to their already ballooning exam pressure, he said, going critical of the Central government after he announced the launch of his own political outfit recently. Despite all these arrangements for the examination, there are issues with downloading the admit cards, and NTA has assured students that it will resolve them at the earliest, he said.

"Yes, there are challenges that demand meaningful solutions. However, I am concerned that the approach devised for the NEET retest may not resolve the issue; instead, it risks creating a new set of problems," Annamalai said. The NEET UG 2026 re-examination has officially been announced to be held on June 21. The official pen-and-paper exam will be conducted by the National Testing Agency from 2 pm to 5 pm.