NEW DELHI: Amid heightened security measures, the NEET-UG retest was conducted smoothly for more than 20 lakh candidates across the country on Sunday, over a month after the examination was cancelled following allegations of a paper leak. While the National Testing Agency (NTA) described the exercise as glitch-free, many candidates said the question paper was tougher than the cancelled examination.

NTA Director-General Abhishek Singh described the exercise as a success, saying it had been conducted without any glitches.

Asked about a possible date for the declaration of results, he said, “Within just 37 days, we conducted the mammoth exercise of the re-examination. The results will be released as soon as possible. In fact, it will be much faster than one could expect.”

On instances of malpractice, Singh said a few candidates had attempted impersonation but had been caught.

“There have been a few instances of the use of fake admit cards and fake Aadhaar cards by candidates who tried to write the examination on behalf of others. Due to the biometric verification and face-authentication measures put in place, they could not succeed in their objective. Specific numbers are being collected from all centres and will be released after they are compiled,” he said.

According to a PTI report, a male candidate who attempted to conceal a SIM card and an old question paper in his undergarments was caught.

While relieved that the examination had been conducted without major disruptions, many students appeared unhappy with the difficulty level of the paper. Candidates said the question paper was considerably tougher than the examination held on May 3, which was subsequently cancelled.

The Physics section, in particular, was described as moderate to difficult by several candidates. Many also welcomed the additional 15 minutes provided for the examination.

Deepak Kumar, appearing for his fifth attempt, said, “Biology was easy, but Physics was tough. Let me see how much I can score.”

A number of candidates across the country missed the examination after arriving late and were denied entry after the 1.30 pm deadline for the 2 pm to 5.15 pm test.

Coaching institute Akash Educational Services Limited said the re-NEET examination was calculation-intensive and rigorous, and predicted that the cut-off could fall below 600 marks.

“Unlike the standard May 3 session, which rewarded straightforward NCERT textbook revision, this paper tested endurance and conceptual depth. The examination demanded rigorous analytical preparation rather than quick memory recall,” it said.

In a statement, the NTA said coordination among nearly seven lakh personnel, including police teams, observers and examination staff, had helped ensure the successful conduct of the re-examination within just 37 days.

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