BHUBANESWAR: The cancellation of NEET-UG 2026 examination over alleged question paper leak has left students who had appeared for the test severely disappointed and anxious about their future as they will now have to restart their preparations from scratch.
Aspirants who had spent months and years preparing for one of the country’s toughest medical entrance examinations said the news has brought back stress and pressure for them at a time when they had just begun to finally relax post-exam.
For Swastik Pattnaik, the prospect of taking the test again has come as a big shock. “He is acutely disappointed but has no option but to reappear for the examination. We have to be very careful about his state-of-mind to be able to perform as he did in the original test,” his parents said. Echoing similar sentiments, another student from Sai International School Srijit Pattnaik said he was expecting a score of around 660. “The problem now is that I will have to go through the same preparation, put in the same effort and take the same stress again,” he exclaimed.
Referring to previous NEET retests, Srijit said in 2016, students had got two months’ time for preparation, while in 2024 NEET was re-conducted for a limited number of candidates, where they received more than one month for preparation. “This time too, students across the nation will have to reappear for the examination, so at least one month’s preparation time should be provided,” he demanded.
Tanvi Tanisha Sahu, another student from Sai International School suggested some reforms in the exam system. “To ensure exams are foolproof and avoid complete cancellation, NEET should be conducted in multiple shifts like JEE instead of a single sitting. It should also be held in two sessions so that students who could not perform well in the first attempt get another opportunity to improve their scores,” she opined.
Prachi Preyasi of KIIT International School said it was her first NEET attempt. “After preparing for my board examinations, I got only one month and joined a crash course. Following two years of constant preparation, we finally had time to relax. However, we may now have to begin the same preparation all over again,” she rued.
She, however, said though cancellation of the exam was disappointing for students who performed well, the re-NEET would offer those who did not fare well in the test to improve their scores. “The examination was cancelled on certain grounds. Since we now have to reappear for the test, I am ready to take up the new challenge,” Prachi added.