NEET-UG re-test sparks anger, grief, anxiety among Nagpur students

Nagpur: The National Testing Agency (NTA) on Tuesday cancelled NEET-UG 2026, held on May 3, and announced a re-test after law enforcement agencies confirmed the exam process had been compromised. The investigation is now being taken over by the CBI.

The decision has triggered anger, grief and anxiety among lakhs of students nationwide, including thousands in Nagpur, one of central India's biggest coaching hubs.





Shravani Kurve, who estimated her score at 614, said she had spent two years preparing with discipline and had taken every mock test available. She said the re-test had shattered her confidence and left her uncertain about securing a government medical college seat despite her hard work. "If our efforts are being undermined by flaws in the system that is wrong. It is unfair," she said.

Another student, Avalokit Meshram, said, "I am under a lot of stress right now. I don't know what's going to happen in future. The dates haven't been announced yet. So, we will have to strategise our preparation accordingly. It's chaos. What is more difficult is to get back to the flow that I initially had when I gave the paper. It will be difficult to get back to that flow right now."

Parents also voiced outrage. Ajay Patil said NTA's repeated failures had raised serious questions about its ability to conduct such a crucial examination. "If the NTA is full of corrupt people, then the entire NTA should be removed. It should be given to another agency," he said.

Sameer Phale, director of a reputed coaching institute, questioned the basis for cancelling the entire exam. "In 2024, the Supreme Court denied conducting a re-examination because out of 25 lakh students, very few were beneficiaries. On what grounds did NTA conclude that this many lakh students benefited this year? This case was transferred to the CBI. Literally, students are crying. A mother called me saying her daughter has been crying and not talking to anyone ever since she heard the news. Who will take care of their stress?"

Student Archit Waghmare said the sudden decision was unfair, especially for candidates appearing for the third or fourth time. He pointed out that in 2024, a re-exam was limited to around 2,000 candidates, whereas this year all 22 lakh students would have to appear again.

Not everyone opposed the move. Sarang Upganlawar, director of another reputed coaching institute, said the cancellation was demoralising but justified. He said honest students could ultimately benefit because the removal of cheaters would improve rankings at the same score. He also called for strict punishment for those responsible.

The NTA said registration data, candidature and exam centres from the May 2026 cycle would be carried forward. No fresh registration will be required, no additional fee will be charged, and fees already paid will be refunded.

(With inputs from Barsa Deb Barma)