Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has defended the conduct of the NEET UG 2026 examination, saying the National Testing Agency (NTA) put in place extensive arrangements to ensure a smooth and
fair examination for more than 22 lakh aspirants across the country.
Speaking in an interview after the examination, Pradhan addressed concerns raised over candidates who were denied entry after reaching centres late, special arrangements made for students with disabilities and medical conditions, and allegations of mismanagement surrounding the exam. He also launched a sharp attack on leader of pposition Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party, accusing them of attempting to create fear and confusion among students ahead of the examination.
"Discipline has to be maintained"
Responding to reports of candidates missing entry deadlines at examination centres, Pradhan said the examination process was monitored closely throughout the day and that candidates had sufficient time to reach their venues.
According to the minister, candidates began arriving at centres from early morning and the entire process was monitored through CCTV surveillance and command centres.
"Anyone who reached by 1:30 PM was given entry. There was ample time available. Lakhs of students reached their centres, many of them three to four hours in advance," he said in NDTV interview.
Pradhan referred to videos from different centres, including one in Thiruvananthapuram, where officials were seen urging students to enter before the gates closed.
While expressing sympathy for students who could not enter on time, he maintained that examination rules had to be applied uniformly.
"As a parent, I felt pained seeing some of those images too. But discipline is discipline. With such a massive arrangement, it shouldn't happen, but those children should have arrived on time. In an examination of this scale, timelines have to be followed," he said.
Special arrangements for students facing Health challenges
The Education Minister highlighted the efforts made by the NTA to assist candidates with physical disabilities and medical conditions.
According to him, more than 80 candidates who faced mobility or health-related challenges received special assistance from the examination authorities.
Pradhan said the agency proactively contacted such students and made arrangements to ensure they could take the examination without difficulty.
Referring to the case of a candidate named Srishti Dubey, whose situation had attracted public attention, the minister said he personally looked into the matter after learning about the difficulties she was facing.
"When I came to know about her condition, I spoke to her parents. The NTA made every effort to create the necessary environment for students facing exceptional circumstances," he said.
Minister raises Nagpur-Abu Dhabi centre case
Pradhan also cited a case involving a candidate from Nagpur whose examination centre was reportedly allotted in Abu Dhabi.
According to the minister, the candidate had repeatedly requested the overseas centre through the application process using his father's phone. He claimed that once information about the matter reached the NTA, the agency immediately contacted the family and facilitated arrangements for the student to appear in Nagpur instead.
He alleged that despite the issue being resolved before the examination, it was later presented as a case of mismanagement.
The minister said the student's admit card had clearly reflected the allotted centre days before the examination and argued that the facts were not disclosed publicly until shortly before the test.
The minister asserted that the NEET 2026 examination was conducted with unprecedented security and monitoring measures, including CCTV surveillance, command centre oversight and special arrangements for vulnerable candidates.
Pradhan said the government and examination authorities would continue to focus on ensuring transparency, fairness and accessibility in national-level entrance examinations, while also enforcing rules necessary to maintain the integrity of the process.
