New Delhi: Union Health Minister J P Nadda on Saturday reviewed the preparations for the NEET-PG 2026 examination, directing all agencies involved to ensure the entrance test is conducted in a secure, transparent and technology-driven manner. He also cautioned candidates against believing rumours or fraudulent claims related to question paper leaks, urging them to rely only on official information issued by the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
The NEET-PG 2026 examination is scheduled to be held on August 30 in a single shift across nearly 340 cities at more than 1,300 examination centres. According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, 2,73,183 candidates have registered for the postgraduate medical entrance examination this year, marking an increase of more than 12.5 per cent compared with the previous edition.
Health Minister Reviews NEET-PG 2026 Readiness
During the review meeting, Nadda assessed the preparedness of the NBEMS, technology partners and other stakeholders responsible for conducting the examination. Officials briefed the minister on examination logistics, security arrangements, candidate facilitation measures and the technology-enabled systems introduced for this year’s test.
The minister stressed that every effort should be made to provide candidates with a fair, transparent and hassle-free examination while maintaining the highest standards of integrity and security. He instructed all concerned agencies to work in close coordination to ensure smooth conduct of the examination across the country.
Nadda Dismisses Paper Leak Claims
Addressing concerns over misinformation, Nadda advised aspirants not to fall for rumours or false claims regarding access to the examination paper. He said the final question paper is selected through a highly secure, encrypted and time-bound process shortly before the examination begins.
According to the minister, multiple technological and operational safeguards remain in place to maintain the confidentiality of the question paper until the scheduled start of the examination. He stated that any claim of prior access to the paper is completely false and intended to mislead candidates.
Nadda also urged students to depend only on official communications issued by NBEMS and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and encouraged them to report any suspicious activities or attempts at unfair practices.
Candidate-Friendly Measures Introduced
The ministry said several new measures have been introduced to improve the examination experience. Candidates will now be required to provide three state preferences for their examination centres, with their own state being the mandatory first preference. The move aims to help allot centres closer to candidates’ places of residence.
Additionally, test city intimation will be issued nearly three weeks before the examination, allowing candidates sufficient time to arrange travel and accommodation.
The examination pattern has also been revised. NEET-PG 2026 will consist of 180 questions to be answered within 210 minutes, giving candidates more time per question while keeping the overall duration of the examination unchanged.
Enhanced Security and Biometric Verification
To strengthen candidate authentication, Aadhaar-based verification has been incorporated during both the application process and on the day of the examination. In cases where fingerprint authentication is unsuccessful, iris-based biometric verification will be used as an alternative.
Nadda also reviewed the multi-layered security framework planned for the examination. The arrangements include advance sealing and verification of examination centres, CCTV surveillance, biometric authentication, frisking of candidates, deployment of signal jammers, dynamic computer allocation, live monitoring through central and regional command centres, and real-time supervision by independent observers and appraisers.
According to the ministry, more than 60,000 examination functionaries will be deployed to conduct the examination across the country.
Question Paper Security Further Strengthened
Officials informed the minister that the end-to-end question paper preparation and delivery process has been reinforced with multiple layers of encryption, secure offline preparation, time-bound finalisation shortly before the examination and controlled digital decryption only at the scheduled commencement of the test.
To curb malpractice, NBEMS has operationalised a dedicated email address through which candidates can report cases of impersonation, touting and other unfair practices. The board is also issuing regular advisories to raise awareness among aspirants and encourage vigilance throughout the examination process.
Conclusion
With NEET-PG 2026 set to take place on August 30, the Centre has emphasised a combination of technology, strict security protocols and candidate-friendly measures to ensure the examination is conducted fairly and securely. Aspirants have been advised to follow only official updates and remain cautious of misinformation circulating online.
Source: Press Trust of India (PTI)
