NEW DELHI: The Centre is assessing to draft in the military, with the Indian Air Force set to transport question papers for the upcoming NEET-UG re-examination after the paper leak controversy forced the cancellation of the May 3 test, sources in the defence establishment said following a high-level meeting Thursday.
The nearly 40-minute meeting was held at Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s residence and attended by Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, NTA Director General Pradeep Singh Kharola and senior representatives from the Education Ministry and the Prime Minister’s Office, sources told TNIE.
They added that the discussions focused on strengthening security protocols across the entire examination cycle, including paper setting, printing, storage, transportation and coordination at centres across the country.
“The Air Force is expected to assist in the secure and time-bound movement of question papers to minimise risks during transit, which investigators believe was a major vulnerability in the earlier process,” a source said, adding that contingency plans and inter-agency coordination mechanisms were also reviewed as part of a “multi-layered security architecture” being put in place for the examination.
Sources said the PMO is closely overseeing preparations, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi being regularly briefed on developments related to the examination and the security arrangements being put in place.
The move is part of a wider framework being built around the June 21 re-test, which will be conducted for more than 22 lakh aspirants amid intense scrutiny over the integrity of the examination process.
Investigations into the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak continue across Rajasthan and Maharashtra, with the CBI probing allegations that portions of the question paper circulated before the exam through guess papers and encrypted messaging platforms. The NTA cancelled the May 3 examination citing concerns over the integrity of the process.
Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has since announced that NEET will shift to a computer-based format from 2027 as part of broader examination reforms.
Queries sent to the Defence Ministry on the meet did not elicit a formal response till the filing of this report.
