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NEET-UG 2026 Re-test for 22.79 Lakh Aspirants After Paper Leak; Radhakrishnan Panel's CBT Shift Proposal Ignored

Target:UPSC GS-IIMPSCTeachingSSC GAPrelims HighMains HighStatic GK Link
14 May 2026
~2 min
Source: The Hindu
Key Data:22.79 lakh candidates5,432 centres552 CBT centres
Bodies:National Testing Agency (NTA)Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)Ministry of EducationRajasthan Police
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What This Article Covers

1.NTA announced a re-test for NEET-UG 2026 after a 'compromised' exam, affecting 22.79 lakh candidates, due to a paper leak discovered by Rajasthan Police.

2.Despite the 2024 Radhakrishnan Committee recommending a transition to Computer-Based Testing (CBT) to eliminate security risks, the NTA and Ministry of Education failed to implement it.

3.This repeated failure points to deep structural issues in India's high-stakes examination system, raising questions on governance, accountability, and the human cost for aspirants.

The Big Picture
Prelims · HighMains · High

The NTA's 'Zero Error' policy collapsed as a major NEET-UG 2026 paper leak forced a re-exam for 22 lakh aspirants. This exposes systemic exam security failures, highlighting the non-implementation of the 2024 Radhakrishnan Committee's key recommendation to shift from pen-and-paper to Computer-Based Testing (CBT).

Exam Lens

Quick Exam Facts From News

NEET-UG 2026 Candidates22.79 lakh
NTA Exam Centres (2026)5,432
Radhakrishnan Committee ReportSubmitted October 2024
CBT Centres with NTA (2026)552

1-Minute Revision

  • ›NEET-UG 2026 Candidates: 22.79 lakh
  • ›NTA Exam Centres (2026): 5,432
  • ›Target this Data: 22.79 lakh candidates for NEET-UG 2026.
  • ›Target this Nodal Body: National Testing Agency (NTA) under the Ministry of Education.
  • ›Target this Committee: Radhakrishnan Committee (2024) on exam reforms.

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Practice exam-style questions, track your score, and strengthen your recall.

Q1Static LinkageEasy

The National Testing Agency (NTA) operates under which Union Ministry?

Q2Statement-basedHard

Consider the following statements regarding the NEET-UG examination and reforms:

1. The Radhakrishnan Committee, formed after the 2024 NEET controversy, was headed by a former Chief Justice of India.

2. The Committee identified the pen-and-paper testing model as a major security risk and recommended a shift to Computer-Based Testing (CBT).

3. The National Testing Agency (NTA) currently has the infrastructure to conduct CBT for over 5 lakh candidates in a single day.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Q3Data-centricMedium

According to the article, for how many candidates did the National Testing Agency (NTA) announce a re-test for the NEET-UG 2026 examination?

Q4Application/ImpactMedium

What was the primary reason cited by the Radhakrishnan Committee for recommending a shift from pen-and-paper to Computer-Based Testing (CBT) for NEET-UG?

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