NEET(UG) re-exam: Education Minister holds meetings with Central agencies, representatives of social media platforms

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Wednesday (May 20, 2026) chaired review meetings with officials of “Central security and intelligence agencies” to identify vulnerabilities and ensure timely preventive and corrective measures, with preparations underway to conduct the re-examination of NEET (UG) 2026, which was cancelled earlier this month after a paper leak.

On Wednesday (May 20, 2026), the Education Minister also chaired meetings with representatives of major social media platforms Meta, Google, and Telegram, with whom government officials raised “serious concerns” about the “growing spread of misinformation related to competitive examinations” that include “fake paper leak claims”, “clickbait content”, and “unverified information that triggers panic, anxiety, and confusion among students and parents”.

A statement from the Education Ministry said Mr. Pradhan called for a “focused crackdown” on such social media networks, including “proactive identification, blocking and takedown of channels spreading fake information, propaganda and panic before examinations”. The Minister stressed that “safeguarding students from misleading narratives and maintaining public confidence in the examination process remains a top priority for the government”.

The meetings on Wednesday (May 20, 2026) were attended by senior officials of the Education Ministry and the Director General of the National Testing Agency, which has been at the centre of the political firestorm that has erupted since news of the NEET(UG) 2026 paper leak became public.

In the meeting with social media platform representatives, government officials noted that several channels became “highly active” on social media ahead of the exams, “particularly through Telegram channels and anonymous online groups”. The government officials also cited “inputs shared by intelligence agencies” to flag “multiple suspicious channels that are being operated through a limited set of phone numbers, indicating coordinated and organised activity”.

The officials said “many such links redirect users to automated bots and fake groups designed to amplify misinformation”.

These meetings come a day after the Education Minister held a similar review meeting on Tuesday (May 19, 2026), directing all authorities to ensure the “fool-proof” conduct of the re-examination, which is scheduled for June 21. Mr. Pradhan has called for District Magistrates and Superintendents of Police to keep coordinating for this.