NTA Announces Student-Friendly Measures For NEET (UG) 2026

The National Testing Agency (NTA) on Friday announced a series of student-centric measures for the upcoming NEET (UG) 2026 examination, scheduled for Sunday (June 21), aimed at making the exam more comfortable and convenient for candidates.

To ensure candidates have adequate time for the examination, NTA has extended the examination window to 195 minutes, from 2:00 pm to 5:15 pm. This window includes invigilation formalities such as signing at the start and end of the exam, which previously reduced candidates’ effective working time.

“By setting the window at 195 minutes inclusive of formalities, we have ensured that the time available for the examination is fully protected,” the agency said in a statement.

In a move to enhance convenience, the number of pages for rough work in the question-paper booklet has been doubled, from two to four pages. Candidates can use the rough-work pages provided at the beginning and end of the booklet to work through calculations and reasoning.

To better accommodate left-handed candidates, who constitute nearly 10% of examinees, NTA has redesigned the placement of rough-work pages. Earlier provided only at the end of the booklet, two rough-work pages will now be placed immediately after the instruction page, in addition to the pages at the end. The redesign applies to both the English and regional-language versions of the question paper.

“These small, thoughtful changes in examination design can make a meaningful difference to a candidate’s comfort during the high-stakes hours of the exam,” the NTA said, reaffirming its commitment to conduct NEET (UG) 2026 in a fair, secure, and candidate-friendly manner.

The agency emphasised that it would continue to improve the examination experience for the lakhs of aspirants who appear each year.

NEET-UG 2026 has been rescheduled for June 21, following allegations of paper leaks and administrative lapses. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) continues its probe and has made multiple arrests. (ANI)