NEET re-test: 22 lakh aspirants, 1.38 lakh CCTVs, 51,000 jammers in zero-error push

The National Testing Agency (NTA) has said it is fully prepared for the smooth and secure conduct of NEET (UG) 2026, scheduled for 21 June. The exam will be held across 5,440 centres in 551 cities in India and 14 centres abroad, making it one of the largest competitive examinations in the country.

Over 22 lakh candidates are expected to appear for the test, which will be conducted in English and 12 Indian languages. Officials said the focus this year is on fairness, security and reducing stress for students.

To prevent malpractice, the NTA has deployed an extensive surveillance system.

More than 95,000 examination rooms will be monitored through 1,38,560 CCTV cameras, with live feeds watched at national, state and ministry levels. Artificial intelligence tools will also scan footage to flag unusual activity.

To block electronic cheating, 51,311 mobile signal jammers have been installed across centres. Each examination room will have two invigilators, and every centre will be supported by additional staff for smooth



functioning.

Security has been strengthened at multiple levels, with around 6,700 observers deployed at centres and over 100 virtual monitors tracking live feeds centrally.

Nearly 38,795 frisking staff and 48,448 personnel handling biometric verification have been assigned to ensure strict identity checks. A Centre Systems Officer has been posted at each centre to manage technical issues on the spot.

Bank and postal departments have also been roped in to secure question papers and collect OMR sheets, with review meetings held across states to confirm preparedness.

At the same time, the agency has introduced student-friendly measures such as drinking water, ORS, shaded waiting areas for parents, wall clocks in every room and additional rough sheets.

Special care has also been taken for left-handed candidates by providing structured writing space in question booklets. Officials said a nationwide mock drill was conducted on 20 June to test all systems, including jammers, biometrics and CCTV networks.