NEET 2026 cancellation: AIIMS Faculty demands compensation for students, fast-track investigation
New Delhi: Following the cancellation of NEET UG 2026 amid allegations of a question paper leak, the AIIMS Faculty has called for compensation for affected candidates and demanded major reforms in the country's examination system.
Highlighting the impact of the cancellation, the AIIMS Faculty Association (FAIMS) noted that more than 22 lakh students appeared for the examination out of nearly 22.75 lakh registered candidates who spent years preparing for this examination with immense dedication, emotional investment, and financial sacrifice.
The association said that repeated incidents of paper leaks had severely shaken public faith in national examinations and caused unprecedented mental trauma, uncertainty, and economic burden upon students and their families.
In a representation sent to the ministries of education and health and the AIIMS director, the faculty body has demanded full reimbursement of travel, accommodation, and other incidental expenses incurred by candidates due to the cancellation of the examination. While the decision to refund exam fees and conduct a fresh test without extra charges has been welcomed, the association called it insufficient.
"The Faculty Association of AIIMS (FAIMS) expresses deep concern and anguish over the cancellation of the NEET-UG 2026 examination following reports of a coordinated paper leak. The recurrence of such incidents has severely shaken the faith of students, parents, teachers, and the medical fraternity in the integrity of the national examination system. Over 22 lakh (2,205,035) aspirants appeared for the NEET UG exam this year, out of approximately 22.75 lakh candidates who registered, across hundreds of cities have spent years preparing for this examination with immense dedication, emotional investment, and financial sacrifice. The cancellation of the examination has caused unprecedented mental trauma, uncertainty, and economic burden upon students and their families," the letter mentioned.
FAIMS noted the announcement regarding the refund of examination fees and the conduct of a fresh examination without additional charges. While the association welcomed this step, it stated that the matter remains grossly inadequate considering the scale of disruption faced by candidates nationwide.
Among its demands, FAIMS has sought full reimbursement of all re-examination-related expenses for all affected candidates, including Airfare, Train fare, Bus fare, Taxi/local transportation expenses, Accommodation/hotel expenses, Examination and processing fees and other incidental expenses borne by candidates and their families, a fast-track investigation and prosecution of all individuals involved in the alleged paper leak.
The association has also called for a transparent and time-bound refund mechanism, an independent Examination Integrity Commission, dedicated mental health support and helpline services for NEET aspirants, age relaxation to candidates affected by the cancellation and a review of National Testing Agency governance mechanisms.
It further said, "We remain committed to supporting all constructive reforms aimed at strengthening the integrity and credibility of medical education in India."
Speaking to Medical Dialogues, Dr Amarinder Singh Malhi, FAIIMS President, said, "To all the NEET aspirants who may once again have to prepare for a re-examination, I want to say this sincerely — your hard work, sacrifices, sleepless nights, and emotional struggles are fully understood and respected by the medical fraternity. The uncertainty surrounding examination irregularities is deeply unfortunate, and no honest student should ever have to bear the burden of systemic failures. At the same time, the integrity of medical entrance examinations is extremely important because the future of healthcare depends upon merit, fairness, and trust in the selection process."
He urged students not to lose confidence in themselves. "A single examination does not define your worth, your talent, or your future as a doctor. The resilience, discipline, and dedication you are showing during this difficult phase are themselves qualities of a good medical professional. I appeal to all students to remain calm, maintain focus, avoid misinformation and panic on social media, and continue preparing with determination. Your efforts will never go in vain," he said.
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 due to paper leak allegations and subsequently announced the re-examination on June 21, 2026.
