NEW DELHI: NEET-PG aspirants will this year be able to choose three preferred examination centres, with their allotted test location to be communicated nearly three weeks before the exam as the Union Health Ministry on Saturday unveiled a series of student-centric reforms for the postgraduate medical entrance examination.
The NEET-PG 2026, scheduled for August 30, will also be conducted under a robust multi-layered security framework, including advance sealing and verification of examination centres, CCTV surveillance, biometric authentication, candidate frisking, deployment of signal jammers, live monitoring through central and regional command centres, and real-time supervision by independent observers and appraisers.
Reviewing the preparedness for the examination, Union Health Minister JP Nadda urged aspirants not to fall prey to rumours or fraudulent claims related to NEET-PG, reiterating that comprehensive security arrangements have been put in place to ensure its smooth conduct.
Among the key reforms, candidates will be allowed to indicate three state preferences for their examination centre, with the correspondence state being the mandatory first preference. The move is aimed at facilitating allotment of centres closer to their place of residence.
In another significant change, candidates will receive their test city intimation nearly three weeks before the examination, allowing them to plan travel and accommodation well in advance. The measure is expected to provide major relief to aspirants, who in previous years had to make last-minute travel and hotel bookings after receiving city intimation only a few days before the exam. The examination pattern has also been rationalised to 180 questions to be answered in 210 minutes, providing candidates with more time per question while maintaining the overall examination duration.
To strengthen the integrity of the examination process, Aadhaar-based authentication has been incorporated during both the application process and on the examination day. Iris-based biometric verification will be used wherever fingerprint authentication is unsuccessful. The ministry said the end-to-end question paper preparation and delivery process has been further reinforced through multiple layers of encryption, secure offline preparation, time-bound finalisation of the question paper shortly before the examination, and controlled digital decryption only at the scheduled commencement of the test.
To curb unfair practices, the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) has operationalised a dedicated email address for reporting impersonation, touting and other malpractices, while continuing to issue regular advisories to promote awareness and vigilance among candidates. Highlighting the security protocols, Nadda said the final question paper is selected through a highly secure, encrypted and time-bound process shortly before the examination, with multiple technological and operational safeguards ensuring its confidentiality until the scheduled start time.
“Any claim of prior access to the question paper by anyone is therefore entirely false and intended to mislead candidates,” he said. Nadda said the student-centric reforms have been introduced to ensure the smooth, secure, transparent and technology-enabled conduct of the examination. He directed all concerned agencies to maintain close coordination so that every candidate has a hassle-free examination experience.
During the review meeting, the minister assessed the preparedness of NBEMS, technology partners and other stakeholders involved in conducting the examination. The Minister was briefed on examination logistics, candidate facilitation measures, the security architecture and technology-driven interventions introduced for NEET-PG 2026.
A total of 2,73,183 candidates have successfully registered for NEET-PG 2026, an increase of more than 12.5 percent over the previous year. The examination will be conducted in a single shift across approximately 340 cities and more than 1,300 examination centres, with over 60,000 examination functionaries deployed to ensure its smooth conduct.
