Amid intensified scrutiny over the operations of the National Testing Agency (NTA), the NEET-UG re-examination is being conducted at over 5000 centres across the country and overseas on Sunday amid tight security arrangements.
The retest is being conducted after the NTA cancelled the original examination conducted on May 3, following allegations of question paper leak and other irregularities.
The examination on Sunday will be held from 2.00 PM to 5.15 PM, with the provision of an additional 15 minutes this time.
The examination is being conducted across 5,440 centres in 551 cities in India and 14 centres abroad.
It is being conducted in English and 12 Indian languages.
According to NTA, more than 95,000 examination rooms have been equipped with CCTV surveillance.
A total of 1,38,560 CCTV cameras have been installed, with feeds monitored virtually at the national, state and ministry levels, officials said.
To secure the examination against electronic malpractice, 51,311 jammers have been deployed.
A candidate, Kishan, appearing for the re-examination in Delhi, said security arrangements were tighter this time than during the earlier test.
"Security is tighter this time than last time. A lot has happened over the past one month. I have revised as much as I could, and now, I just want to write the exam. I only hope the exam is conducted fairly," he told PTI Videos.
"Everyone who took that exam was under immense pressure, especially the students who were on the verge of qualifying. Personally, I wasn't making the cut as my score was around 450, but no one can truly understand the pain of those who were actually getting selected. They are the ones who suffered the most," he added.
Sonia, who is appearing for the NEET-UG re-examination in Delhi, said she was feeling more stressed this time than during the earlier test.
She also noted that drinking water and coolers have been arranged this time, unlike during the previous exam, and security had also been tightened.
"If such security arrangements had been in place the last time, the chances of a paper leak would have been lower, and students would not have had to face so much trouble," she said.
In Odisha, candidate Parthasarathi Raut said he would try his best in the re-test to secure admission to a medical college.
Ahead of the re-test, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan urged candidates to appear for it fearlessly and free of anxiety.
Pradhan, who was speaking at a yoga event at Delhi University on the occasion of International Say of Yoga, said he has complete faith in NTA, state governments, district administrations, the education fraternity and the students.
Appealing to people not to do anything that could affect children's mental health, Pradhan said the future of India's new generation should not be toyed with.
(With inputs from PTI)
