66,000 students to take NEET retest in AP

Visakhapatnam: The re-test of the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) UG 2026 was scheduled to be held on June 21, Sunday, with about 66,000 candidates from Andhra Pradesh set to appear at 185 exam centres. APSRTC said it would operate free bus services for candidates on the production of their hall tickets.

To ensure the smooth conduct of the examination and prevent any untoward incidents, around 1,500 police and CRPF personnel were deployed across the state.

The exam was scheduled to be conducted from 2 pm to 5 pm on SundayThe re-test follows the cancellation of the first one conducted in May amid allegations of question paper leaks. The development has placed an additional burden on thousands of students, many of whom had already completed their preparation and were awaiting the results.

Several students re-enrolled in coaching centres to prepare for the re-examination, leading to added stress, anxiety and financial strain. While some institutions offered refresher coaching at nominal charges, others required students to pay the full course fee again.Andhra Pradesh chief secretary G. Sai Prasad on Saturday reviewed the arrangements for the examination through a video conference with district collectors and superintendents of police.

The CS directed them to establish control rooms in every district to closely monitor the conduct of the test.Sai Prasad said the question papers should be transported to examination centres under adequate police security and, after the examination, the answer sheets should be brought back to designated strong rooms and stored under CCTV surveillance.The CS directed officials to suspend internet services around examination centres and enforce prohibitory orders during the examination period.

He also noted that differently abled candidates would be given an additional hour to complete the examination.Sai Prasad instructed officials to maintain strict surveillance on photocopy shops, cyber cafés and coaching centres located near examination venues and ensure compliance with restrictions. He further instructed collectors and SPs to keep a close watch on social media and take prompt action against anyone spreading rumours such as question paper leaks. He said candidates found impersonating others using fake identity cards or photographs should be handed over to the police, with FIRs registered and investigations initiated.