NEET PG 2026: Paper leaks not possible- NMC Chief Dr Abhijat Sheth assures candidates

New Delhi: Ahead of the NEET PG 2026 examination, the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) has stepped up security, vigilance and centre-level backup arrangements to ensure a safe and transparent conduct of the postgraduate medical entrance test.

NBEMS President Dr Abhijat Sheth has assured candidates that the computer-based test cannot be affected by paper leaks, as the question paper is made available only shortly before the test.

Dr Sheth spoke about the Aadhaar-based authentication that has been introduced for candidate identification, while security measures have also been strengthened through increased vigilance, tighter examination-centre selection, enhanced logistics and additional backup support. He said these measures have been put in place to safeguard the sanctity of the examination and ensure that NEET PG 2026 is conducted without disruption.

Speaking to ANI about the measures taken to prevent paper leaks in the NEET PG 2026 examination, Chairman of the National Medical Commission, Dr Abhijat Sheth, said, "In the NEET PG examination, since it is conducted as a computer-based test, paper leaks are not possible. The paper is published only half an hour before the examination... To ensure the safety of the examination, we have introduced Aadhaar-based authentication for identification."

Also Read:AI may assist, but doctors must remain responsible, says NMC Chief Dr Abhijat Sheth

"We have enhanced our overall security mechanisms, increased the number of security officials, and strengthened overall vigilance during the examination. We have done two things this time. First, we ensured that students were provided with the right information about the conduct of the examination... Second, we have enhanced our security, particularly vigilance during the examination, selection of examination centres, logistics support, and backup support for the centres. We ensured that the examination could be managed successfully even in difficult environments, without any hindrance," he said.

Dr Sheth further said that they have ensure that students are given the right information about the conduct of the examination, so that they are not misled by social media or rumours.

"We have geared up very well for the preparation of the NEET PG 2026 examination. We will ensure that it is conducted safely and securely, and we will maintain the sanctity of the examination. We have 2,73,183 candidates who have registered, out of which 2,73,083 candidates have received their admit cards... We haven't increased the examination duration, but we have reduced the number of examination questions from 200 to 180 to ensure that students have a full opportunity to answer the maximum possible number of questions. There is a total of 1,111 examination centres across 338 cities in the country," he further added.

He appealed to applicants and said, "We have done all the efforts to ensure that examination runs in fair, transparent, and secure way, and I assured on behalf of the government, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, and National Board of Examination that we will do all efforts to maintain the sanctity of the examination, and we will ensure that examination is conducted smoothly."

Also Read:NMC chief Dr Abhijat Sheth re-nominated as NBE's governing body president

National Medical Commission (NMC) Chairman and President of the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS), Dr Abhijat Sheth, earlier stressed the need for evidence-based and ethical adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare, emphasising that the technology should augment doctors rather than replace them.

Speaking at a National Consultation on AI Readiness for Healthcare, Education and Research, held on 16th August 2026, at Eros Hotel, New Delhi, Dr Sheth said doctors must remain responsible and accountable for medical decisions even as AI becomes increasingly integrated into clinical practice.