Centre plans to rope in Indian Air Force for secure transport of NEET 2026 re-exam question papers

New Delhi: With pressure mounting on the government to prevent future leaks following the NEET UG paper leak controversies in 2024 and 2026, the Centre is planning to involve the Indian Air Force (IAF) in transporting question papers for the NEET UG 2026 retest scheduled on June 21.

According to news agency PTI, the proposal was discussed during a high-level meeting chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. The meeting was also attended by Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia.

The discussions focused on strengthening the entire examination process, including question paper setting, printing, transportation, and security arrangements to ensure a leak-proof retest.

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Sources told PTI that the ministers and senior officials discussed whether IAF aircraft could be used for transporting NEET-UG question papers securely across the country.

However, no final decision has been taken yet, and the proposal is expected to be placed before Prime Minister Narendra Modi for final approval.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also believed to have been personally monitoring the preparations for the June 21 retest, and he is being updated on every detail related to the examination process.

Speaking to NDTV, Pradhan said, "The government follows a 'whole-of-government approach' involving multiple departments, including the postal system, the Home Ministry, and state governments, to ensure the smooth and fair conduct of examinations. In previous examinations, there was a major role for the postal department, the Home Ministry, and state governments. We have taken their help earlier and will continue with a whole-of-government approach to ensure smooth, free, and fair examinations."

He added that, "In view of logistical and security considerations, particularly weather conditions in June, it has been decided to involve the Indian Air Force in the secure transportation of question papers. The work earlier done by the postal department will now also be supported by the Indian Air Force so that question papers reach their destinations on time, considering all factors. The government is serious and fully prepared to conduct free and fair examinations."

The NEET UG 2026 exam was conducted on May 3 by the National Testing Agency and was held from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM in pen-and-paper mode. Over 22.7 lakh aspirants appeared for the examination this year. It took place across 551 cities in India and 14 cities abroad, covering over 5,400 centres.

However, the NTA on May 12, 2026, declared the cancellation of the examination held on May 3 and subsequently announced the re-examination on June 21, 2026.

This came in the backdrop of the probe by the Rajasthan Police Special Operations Group, which reportedly found a “guess paper” containing more than 100 questions similar to those asked in the NEET UG examination. The question paper series under scrutiny has been described as a “guess paper” which reportedly contained around 410 questions. Out of these, nearly 120 questions are alleged to have appeared in the Biology and Chemistry sections of the examination. The investigation found that the leaked papers were circulated through WhatsApp and Telegram groups ahead of the NEET UG 2026 examination.

Due to the alleged controversy, the central government decided to refer the matter to the Central Bureau of Investigation for a comprehensive inquiry into the allegations. Based on the centre's direction, the CBI registered an FIR in the case and has so far arrested 13 people.

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