NEET 2026: Glitches Plague Admit Card Downloads Amid Paper Leak Scare

The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (Undergraduate) or NEET-UG 2026 is facing a period of heightened concern and operational challenges as the re-examination date of June 21 approaches. Students have reported widespread technical glitches and server issues while attempting to download their admit cards, leading to significant anxiety. The National Testing Agency (NTA) has acknowledged these issues and stated that its teams are working to resolve them, with over four lakh aspirants having successfully downloaded their admit cards by June 15, 2026. The NTA has also launched a dedicated online portal on June 15, 2026, in collaboration with MyGov India, for the public to report suspicious claims, unauthorized content, or fraudulent activities related to the exam. This move aims to curb scams, fraudulent promises of leaked papers, and misinformation circulating on social media platforms. The NTA reiterates that no one has access to the question papers before the examination, and any claims otherwise are false. The agency urges students and parents to rely solely on official updates and ignore unverified information. The backdrop to these current challenges is the significant paper leak controversy that led to the cancellation of the original NEET-UG 2026 examination held on May 3. The cancellation, announced on May 12, followed investigations revealing substantial overlaps between a pre-circulated guess paper and the actual exam questions. This scandal triggered nationwide protests, political criticism, and petitions to the Supreme Court. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) took over the investigation and has arrested multiple individuals, including those involved in setting and translating question papers, as well as intermediaries facilitating the leak. As of June 15, 2026, 13 accused have been arrested, with ongoing investigations into the entire conspiracy and network. The CBI has also received court permission to further interrogate some of the accused in jail. The arrests highlight a complex web of individuals involved in procuring and circulating exam papers for monetary gain. In response to the paper leak, law enforcement agencies have been actively cracking down on fraudulent networks targeting medical aspirants. The Cyber Crime Branch of the Ahmedabad City Police, for instance, busted two separate fraud networks on June 15, 2026. One involved two suspects arrested in Rajasthan for running a Telegram scam that falsely promised leaked NEET-UG 2026 re-exam papers and admissions in exchange for money. Investigators confirmed that no confidential NEET material was recovered, and the claims were entirely fraudulent. Transactions exceeding Rs 1.5 crore were found to have passed through the accused's accounts over the past year. In a separate case, a 19-year-old from Bihar was arrested for allegedly hacking hundreds of student accounts on the NTA portal to steal their exam fee refunds. He reportedly targeted accounts with weak passwords, altered bank details to divert refunds, and succeeded in accessing approximately 150 accounts out of 350 targeted. To ensure the integrity of the upcoming re-examination, the NTA and the Union Education Ministry have implemented unprecedented security measures. These include isolating question paper setters and translators in a secure location under strict lockdown, using Indian Air Force aircraft for transporting question papers to 18 locations nationwide, and employing GPS tracking for real-time monitoring of paper movement. Advanced technological solutions such as biometric verification, facial recognition, AI-enabled CCTV surveillance, and 5G jammers are being deployed at examination centers to prevent impersonation and electronic malpractice. The NTA has also strengthened protocols for question paper preparation, handling, and storage, with encrypted digital processes and restricted access. Furthermore, social media platforms are being monitored to counter fake claims and misinformation. In terms of candidate-centric changes, the NTA has announced 'student-friendly' measures for the re-test, including extending the examination window from 180 to 195 minutes (2:00 PM to 5:15 PM) to accommodate mandatory formalities, and providing additional rough work pages in the question booklet. The Union Home Secretary has reviewed the preparedness of state governments, emphasizing strict adherence to security protocols. The NEET-UG 2026 re-examination is scheduled to be held on June 21, with the aim of ensuring a fair, transparent, and error-free process for over 22 lakh candidates. The government's commitment to restoring confidence in the examination system is evident through these multi-layered security enhancements and proactive measures against fraud. The events surrounding the NEET-UG 2026 examination underscore the persistent challenges in conducting large-scale competitive exams in India and the ongoing efforts to safeguard their integrity.

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