'Years of hard work wasted': NEET 2026 row leaves aspirants shocked, emotionally drained

New Delhi: The cancellation of the NEET UG 2026 examination has triggered anxiety and anger among lakhs of medical aspirants across the country, many of whom said they are feeling shocked, stressed and uncertain about their future.

The National Eligibility-Entrance Test Undergraduate (NEET-UG), one of India’s largest entrance examinations, was conducted this year on May 3 for over 22.79 lakh students seeking admission into medical colleges across the country.

Students who had spent years preparing for the highly competitive entrance exam expressed disappointment after the National Testing Agency (NTA) announced that the May 3 examination had been cancelled amid allegations of a paper leak.

The National Testing Agency (NTA) on May 12, 2026, declared the cancellation of the examination held on May 3 and subsequently announced that a re-exam will be held on dates that will be notified separately.

On its official X (formerly Twitter) handle, the NTA posted, "In continuation of its press release dated 10 May 2026, the National Testing Agency wishes to inform candidates, parents, and members of the public of the following decisions taken in respect of NEET (UG) 2026. NTA had, on 8 May 2026, referred the matters then under consideration to the central agencies for independent verification and necessary action, consistent with its standing commitment to the fair, secure, and credible conduct of the national examinations entrusted to it. On the basis of the inputs subsequently examined by NTA in coordination with the central agencies, and the investigative findings shared by the law enforcement agencies and in order to ensure that there is transparency in the system, the National Testing Agency, with the approval of the Government of India, has decided to cancel the NEET (UG) 2026 examination conducted on 3 May 2026, and to re-conduct the examination on dates that will be notified separately."

Also read- NEET 2026 cancelled, re-exam soon: NTA

NTA further informed that the Government of India decided to refer the matter to the Central Bureau of Investigation for a comprehensive inquiry into the allegations after it declared to re-conduct the NEET UG 2026 examination soon. Based on the centre's direction, the CBI registered an FIR in the case.

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.

These aspirants who had barely felt relieved after appearing for the examination when they came to know that they would have to take the exam again, meaning the cycle of intense pressure, stress, anxiety and financial burden would continue once more.

While some aspirants supported the decision to cancel the examination in the interest of fairness, others said that they are being forced to suffer because of the actions of a few people.

Several aspirants took to social media and appeared on media channels to express their anger and frustration, with many demanding strict action against those involved in the alleged paper leak.

Sharing their experiences, a NEET aspirant who appeared for the examination for the fifth time this year told Deccan Herald, "I stayed in a closed room studying for NEET, hoping this would be my final attempt. Students work extremely hard for this exam. We study for 14 to 15 hours every day. This year, I was confident that I would get admission into a government college. But now they have gone and cancelled the exam.”

He further said, "The emotional toll, he says, is immense. All my friends are upset because they now have to begin preparation again and go through the same pressure once more. It is not easy for students to handle that level of pressure. Mental health has obviously been affected."

“I have seen students not leave their houses for weeks or even months, not even to get their admit cards printed, just so their preparation is not affected even for a minute,” he added.

Supporting the cancellation of the NEET exam, another aspirant said, “I support the cancellation despite knowing it would mean reliving the pressure of preparation all over again. Every year, allegations of paper leaks surface and the cut-off shoots up. While it is inconvenient, I still want the paper to be cancelled. If it were not cancelled, the people involved in the leak would only become more confident. The fear among students is no longer limited to one examination cycle. Even if I decide to take a drop year and appear for the exam again, what are the chances that it will not be leaked again?"

"We had been preparing for years for this examination under immense mental pressure. And, now, they say the paper was leaked! How can something like this even happen? A strict and transparent system should have been in place. They are asking us to retake the exam, but what guarantee is there that the paper will be secure this time?" a NEET repeater told HT. 

Another aspirant said "The decision has left us emotionally shattered. My expected score this year was around 670. I cannot even express what I am feeling right now. It is extremely difficult to mentally prepare for the entire process again. Two years of hard work feel wasted in a single moment."

Highlighting the academic burden of preparing again, an aspirant said, "We solve 20 to 30 books and spend years preparing for the exam. Revising everything again is mentally exhausting. Also, there is a constant fear about whether we will perform the same way as in the previous exam. If our scores drop because of this stress and uncertainty, who will take responsibility for our loss?"

An aspirant who appeared from Ranchi, told TOI, “I had scored 695 marks out of 720 and was hoping for admission to a good college. Now I have to prepare for the exam all over again. However, with the question paper leak, a large number of aspirants benefited unfairly. The cut-off marks would have been scaled up under the circumstances.”

Another student who scored 630, said she was confident of a govt college seat. “It is a bittersweet experience. Years of hard work has not been rewarded. However, I would make efforts to improve my performance in the re-test,” she said.

NDTV reports from Kota have highlighted students claiming their hard work has gone waste. "Not everyone can deal with such news," the aspirant remarked. "What is the guarantee that such a thing will not repeat in the re-examination?," she questioned.

A NEET aspirant in Lucknow in conversation with ANI sadi, We cannot do anything about it now that it has been suspended. We are disappointed... The NTA should change the medium of the exam... We will have to travel again."

Questioning the examination system and its security mechanisms, a NEET coaching faculty member from Pune said, "It is being claimed that the question paper was available 15 to 20 days in advance. We do not know the complete truth, but students were subjected to strict checks, from shoes to water bottles, while the authorities failed to secure their own system. Loopholes appear to exist within the system itself. Such incidents can push many students into depression."

Also read- NEET 2026 Controversy: Doctors' body moves Supreme Court seeking NTA replacement, committee monitored re-exam