NTA dismisses video claiming paper leak as ‘fake’, says NEET re-exam passed successfully
The National Testing Agency (NTA) has termed a fake video circulating on social media claiming to have leaked the NEET-UG 2026 paper.
In a statement on X, the agency said the test was successfully conducted under comprehensive security and surveillance.
“The attention of NTA has been drawn to a fabricated video circulating on social media regarding NEET (UG) 2026. The video is fake and the claims it makes are false,” the statement said.
“The video is FAKE and the claims it makes are false,” it said.
The agency said it was a “serious offense” to manufacture and intentionally spread such misinformation to deceive or alarm students. “The NTA, with the support of I4C and law enforcement agencies, is taking action against those responsible for the origin of this content,” the agency said.
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The NTA appealed to students, parents and the public to rely only on the agency’s official website and verified social media tools for information and not to disseminate such material.
“Our more than 20 thousand aspirants deserve a calm and fair process,” the statement said.
More than 20,000 medical aspirants attempted the NEET re-examination for the second time on Sunday (June 21, 2026) after the original test was canceled due to a paper leak, an issue that has become a hot potato for the government and sparked a popular protest movement.
Abhishek Singh, director general of the National Testing Agency (NTA), which received fake news following the paper leak, said a “whole of government” approach helped it carry out the mammoth exercise in record time.
In a statement, the NTA said that more than 20 thousand candidates appeared for the NEET (UG) 2026 examination at 5,440 centers in India and 14 centers abroad. The exam was conducted in 13 languages including Hindi and English.
“It wasn’t about the NTA itself. It was Team Bharat – a chain of people across the country who showed up, so the only thing that mattered to each candidate that morning was the newspaper,” the agency said.
“A total of around 7 lakh officials across India – police teams, observers and probationers – were mobilized to conduct this examination in a record 37 days. The NTA is particularly grateful to the experts from academic institutions across the country who gave their personal time to help prepare several sets of questions,” the NTA said.
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan reviewed the arrangements for smooth conduct of examinations at NTA headquarters in Delhi, Okhla.
“The NTA informed the minister about the logistical and technical measures put in place for the efficient and transparent conduct of the examination,” the Ministry of Education said.
The NTA said extensive arrangements have been made for all candidates, including more than 10,000 persons with disabilities.
“Special arrangements were made for about 81 disabled candidates, including a child who had a road accident and a child undergoing chemotherapy, who were determined not to miss the exam for which they had been preparing for years,” the report said.
The agency said Aadhaar-based biometric and facial authentication, CCTV surveillance, jammers and two-layer frisking have been deployed at the interrogation centers with the support of the state police.
“Command and control centers for CCTV monitoring have been set up at the national level – at the NTA and the Ministry of Education, 34 centrally funded institutions of the Ministry of Higher Education, each state and district collectors,” it said.
“There have been some minor reports of people coming with wrong admit cards, people coming with forged admit cards at several places; cases of impersonation have also been detected,” said NTA DG Abhishek Singh.
“At a few places someone tried to take a mobile phone; action was taken against that because that’s what it’s all about when you put CCTV cameras, when you put hand-held metal detectors, so that no unfair means are allowed … and there were a few people who tried to do it but weren’t able to,” he said.
While investigations into the alleged paper leak are underway, the newly formed Cockroach Janta party led by Abhijeet Dipek, which began as an online campaign, is holding protests across the country demanding the resignation of the education minister.
The NTA said the conduct of the examination drew on the support of the CAPF and several central ministries.
Published – 22 Jun 2026 10:20 AM IST