NEET UG 2026: Exam on May 3 for 22.79 lakh; NTA deploys AI, biometric checks, security forces cover

The National Testing Agency (NTA) will hold the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test Undergraduate(NEET UG) 2026, India’s biggest medical entrance exam on May 3. Ahead of the examination, the agency has already issued the NEET UG 2026 admit cards on April 26 through its official website, neet.nta.nic.in.

This year’s undergraduate medical entrance exam will be conducted at 552 test centres across India and 14 centres outside the country. This year as many as 22,79,743 aspirants have enrolled for the NEET UG 2026 examination.

The entrance exam will be administered in one consolidated afternoon session from 2 pm to 5 pm. The examination paper will contain 180 mandatory objective-type questions with a maximum score of 720 marks.

Of the total, Physics will carry 180 marks, Chemistry another 180, while Biology will hold the highest weightage of 360 marks. Candidates will be awarded four marks for every correct answer, while each wrong response will attract a penalty of one mark.

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NEET UG 2026: NTA says ‘question paper secured’

Speaking to DD News, NTA Director, Abhishek Singh said, “We have made every possible arrangement to ensure the security of the question paper, and we will make sure that only those candidates who are genuinely registered appear for the examination. To prevent any impersonation or cases where someone else attempts to write the exam on behalf of a candidate, we have put a biometric verification system and CCTV surveillance in place.”

Back in 2024, the National Testing Agency came under intense scrutiny and faced widespread criticism from students as well as opposition parties over allegations of a NEET UG paper leak.

Following the allegations several individuals were arrested during the investigation, and over 63 cases related to the use of unfair means were registered. However, both the NTA and the central government consistently denied that any paper leak had taken place.

Additionally, 1,563 candidates had initially been awarded grace marks in NEET UG 2024; however, the Supreme Court later set aside their results, following which a re-examination was conducted for those students.

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NEET UG 2026: CCTV surveillance, troops in place

As per the NTA Director, apart from the regular deployment of examination superintendents and invigilating staff, the NEET UG 2026 exam will be monitored under a four-layer CCTV surveillance mechanism. These monitoring layers will include:

• NTA control rooms
• State government and district administrations
• Ministry of Education
• Central institutions

In addition to the CCTV-based monitoring system, paramilitary forces, BSF personnel, and state police units will also be deployed to prevent any possibility of a paper leak or malpractice during NEET UG 2026.

While speaking to DD News, Singh said, “From the stage of printing the question papers to their final delivery at examination centres, every security precaution has been enforced. Each question paper is specially tracked and marked, so if, God forbid, any leak or irregularity occurs, it can be immediately traced. A strict chain of custody has been established throughout the process.”

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NEET UG 2026 Exam: AI-driven monitoring system

For NEET UG 2026, NTA has incorporated artificial intelligence into its exam surveillance system. Singh told DD News that the AI mechanism is capable of detecting even minor irregularities, including candidates communicating with each other during the examination.

He added that attempts such as carrying mobile phones, smart devices, or engaging in any form of malpractice will be identified through this advanced monitoring setup.

In addition, NTA has launched an AI-powered chatbot on WhatsApp to assist NEET UG aspirants with updates and queries related to the examination. Singh also advised candidates to rely only on information shared through official and verified NTA platforms, stating, “Candidates are advised to trust updates only from authenticated NTA sources and channels.”