Neet-UG cancellation leaves students battling uncertainty, added costs

The cancellation has left students and families distressed, raising concerns over trust in NTA and adding financial worries amid uncertainty over the retest

Amit was counting down the days to what he hoped would be the beginning of his journey as a doctor. But a sudden announcement left him devastated. Over a week after he appeared for the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (Undergraduate) 2026, or Neet-UG, on May 3, the exam was cancelled over suspected paper leak allegations.

 

“Two years of hard work have gone to waste. It is devastating,” said Amit, an aspirant from Bihar who was preparing for Neet in Rajasthan's Kota.

 

Amit is among the nearly 2.28 million medical aspirants across the country who had taken the exam. Now they all are grappling with shock, anxiety and uncertainty.

 

 

"This was a massive blunder that has badly affected students’ confidence and motivation to prepare again for the exam. Students like me, who come from middle-class families, feel a deep sense of distrust towards the system now. If such incidents keep happening, how will middle-class students stay motivated to appear for these competitive exams?” said Amit, who had been preparing for the exam for the past two years.

 

On Tuesday, the National Testing Agency (NTA) announced that the Neet exam conducted on May 3 was cancelled amid allegations of a question paper leak, with the Centre ordering a comprehensive probe led by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The NTA said fresh examination dates would be announced soon.

 

The cancellation followed allegations that question sets were circulated before the examination across multiple states. Claims have also been made that a question bank of over 400 questions circulated days earlier, of which more than 100 biology and chemistry questions were reportedly similar to those in the final paper.

 

Students face anxiety over Neet-UG retest

 

The cancellation has left many Neet aspirants anxious about the retest date, the preparation window, possible delays in counselling, and uncertainty over their future.

 

“Students are disheartened by the paper leak and anxious about their further preparation too. NTA must give 30-35 days for the re-neet exam and this time there is a real need for students to consolidate and retract their preparation,” said Vipin Kumar Sharma, faculty of botany at PhysicsWallah.

 

Following the paper leak allegations, students have expressed a sense of betrayal and a loss of trust in the NTA.

 

“This incident has broken my trust in NTA. It seems like they don’t care about students’ mental health and careers,” said Mayank, a student from Delhi.

 

He added that the NTA should compensate students for expenses incurred due to the retest.

 

The impact, however, is not limited to students. Parents, too, have been left devastated.

 

“My parents were even more devastated than I was. In a middle-class Indian family, becoming a doctor is seen as a highly respectable profession, and they felt heartbroken that two years of hard work and sacrifice had gone to waste,” said Amit, who is a first-generation aspirant in his family.

 

Retest adds to financial burden

 

Many students who had shifted to coaching hubs away from their hometowns are now returning to these centres for the retest, adding to costs related to travel, accommodation and food.

 

“For students like me who stay away from home for preparation, this cancellation has also created additional financial stress for both students and parents. Some of my friends have already book their tickets to return to Kota,” said Amit.

 

Concerns over the added financial burden of a retest have also been echoed by other students, especially as coaching fees are already high.

 

“Coaching costs are already very high, often around ₹1 lakh or more, and taking coaching again puts additional pressure on middle- and lower-middle-class families,” said Vaibhav, another Neet aspirant from Bihar.

 

Students said they were planning to rely on self-study rather than rejoining coaching classes.

 

Mental exhaustion and loss of motivation

 

A highly competitive exam like Neet-UG already places immense stress on students, and having to take it again adds to the psychological burden.

 

Dr Sasha Raikhy, psychiatrist and founder of Possitive Vibes Mental Health Clinic in New Delhi, said the cancellation could have serious psychological consequences.

 

“Most students tend to feel demoralised, helpless and exhausted since their preparation of several months or years might go for nothing,” she said. “The recurring stress is likely to result in low self-esteem and confidence among students who are already vulnerable to examination pressure.”

 

Students said the uncertainty has made it difficult to regain focus. Mayank, a Neet aspirant, told Business Standard that for the past two years, he followed the same routine and focused entirely on studies. Preparing for the exam again, he said, has severely impacted his motivation.

 

Raikhy said anxiety caused by uncertainty over the retest date disrupts students’ normal routines and study patterns. “Parents and tutors can assist the aspirants by offering emotional encouragement, ensuring peaceful communication, and refraining from exerting undue pressure concerning their achievements or rankings,” she said.

 

Coaching institutes voice concern

 

Faculty members of Neet-UG coaching centres have also expressed disappointment, saying the incident could have wider implications for the country’s healthcare system in the long run.

 

“It is an unfortunate event not only affecting students but also will impact the healthcare system in the long run,” said Ravikant Gupta, founder of CareerOrbits ePortals Pvt. Ltd, New Delhi.

 

“The leak shouldn’t have happened in the first place and it reflects a failure of the exam conducting authorities," said PhysicsWallah's Sharma.

 

According to Sharma, the retest has led to higher demand for revision batches and test series, but coaching institutes should not view it as a business opportunity. Instead, he said, they must stand with students during this period of uncertainty.

 

CareerOrbits' Gupta added that the system’s failure has, in some ways, created scope for coaching institutes to capitalise on the uncertainty. He noted that many centres are likely to market special retest strategies and revision programmes to anxious students and parents.

 

Sharma advised students to focus on revising concepts through free resources such as YouTube rather than immediately turning back to expensive coaching programmes.

 

Calls for Neet-UG exam reforms

 

The cancellation has renewed calls for reforms in the conduct of Neet examinations. Students and educators have suggested shifting Neet to a Computer-Based Test (CBT) format to reduce the risk of paper leaks and improve transparency.

 

CareerOrbits’ Gupta suggested that authorities consider a multi-stage examination model, with preliminary and main stages, along with tighter security measures and exams conducted strictly within India under government-monitored systems. He added that there is a continued fear of paper leaks unless stronger safeguards are implemented.

 

“Question papers should be properly secured and encrypted so they cannot be accessed or leaked. The system needs stronger safeguards to maintain credibility,” said Vaibhav.