Sources confirm that India’s National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) for postgraduate medical students, cancelled last week after a paper leak, will be resat under unprecedented security measures. The National Testing Agency (NTA) has deployed biometric verification, jammers in examination halls, and armed guards at question paper printing units. A senior NTA official told this journalist: “We are leaving nothing to chance.
The integrity of the exam is paramount.” But the damage may already be done: British universities that rely on NEET scores to admit Indian students have demanded a full investigation. A spokesperson for the British High Commission said: “We are monitoring the situation closely.
The credibility of the qualification is key to maintaining trust in international admissions.” Uncovered documents from the NTA’s internal review show that at least 200 candidates had access to leaked papers before the original exam. Sources familiar with the probe say the leak originated from a printing press in Uttar Pradesh.
The CBI has arrested four suspects, but questions remain about who paid them. The resit, scheduled for 15 February, will be held in 1,200 centres across India. Any breach could jeopardise thousands of applicants’ futures and damage India’s reputation as a source of medical talent.
A UK-based admissions consultant told me: “If this resit is compromised, Indian students will face extra scrutiny from British universities. Some may be asked to take additional exams.” The stakes are high: around 20,000 Indian students apply to UK medical schools each year.
The NTA insists the new measures are foolproof. This journalist is not so sure. I have seen too many “foolproof” systems fail when money and power are involved.
The resit is a test not just of students, but of India’s ability to police its own gateways to global education.
