NEET UG 2026 Exam Cancelled: Over 25 Exams Cancelled in 9 Years! Why and How is the NTA Failing Since Its Inception in 2017?

The NEET UG 2026 examination, originally held on May 3, 2026, has been cancelled. The National Testing Agency (NTA) took this decision following approval from the Government of India. Since its inception in 2017, the agency has consistently remained in the spotlight—often for reasons involving paper leaks or the cancellation of exams. According to the Ministry of Education, the NTA has cancelled 16 major examinations between 2018 and 2024. The latest instance in this unfortunate series is the cancellation of the NEET UG 2026 paper. In other words, another stain has been added to the NTA's record of failure. So, let us examine how the NTA has been failing over the past nine years...

NTA: An Institution Constantly Under Scrutiny

The Union Cabinet approved the formation of the NTA in November 2017. Its primary objective was to conduct entrance examinations for admission into higher educational institutions in a transparent and efficient manner. Today, the agency conducts numerous national-level examinations such as JEE (Main), NEET-UG, CUET-UG, UGC-NET, and CSIR-NET. However, this is not the first time that questions have been raised regarding the NTA's functioning. Since its establishment in 2017, the agency has frequently found itself at the center of controversies.

How Many Exams Conducted by the NTA Have Been Affected So Far?

The NTA was established towards the end of 2017, but it began conducting examinations starting in 2018. According to information provided by the Ministry of Education in Parliament in July 2024, the NTA has postponed at least 16 major examinations between 2018 and 2024. While many of these examinations were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, administrative issues, or technical reasons, instances of exams being cancelled due to paper leaks and irregularities have garnered significant attention in recent years. By 2024, the NTA had successfully conducted over 240 examinations, involving more than 54 million students.

This list covers only the major controversies of recent times. Apart from these, numerous other examinations were postponed due to COVID-19, technical glitches, or administrative reasons. These include major examinations such as JEE-Main 2020, NEET-UG 2020, JEE-Main 2021, and NEET-UG 2021.

On December 17, 2024, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan announced in Parliament that "starting in 2025, the NTA will conduct only entrance examinations for higher education institutions, not recruitment examinations." Concurrently, government data revealed that in 2024, the NTA conducted merely 29 examinations—the lowest number since 2019. A significant decline was also observed in the number of examinees, which dropped from 1.33 crore in 2023 to 85.78 lakh in 2024. Instead of improving in 2025, the NTA's operations continued to be plagued by issues:

Irregularities in JEE Main 2025: In the JEE Main examination held in January 2025, at least 12 questions had to be withdrawn due to flaws in the answer key.

Postponement of UGC-NET: On January 13, 2025, the NTA postponed the UGC-NET December 2024 examination due to a clash with festivals such as Makar Sankranti and Pongal. It was originally scheduled to be held on January 15, 2025.

Cancellation of CUET UG: On May 14, 2025, the NTA cancelled the CUET UG 2025 examination at a center in Srinagar due to a technical glitch, affecting 76 candidates.

By 2026, the NTA's failures had reached a critical point, culminating in the cancellation of NEET UG 2026. This decision did not come as a sudden surprise; over the past few years, irregularities in NTA-conducted examinations had become a recurring pattern.

Current Examination Process Cannot Be Allowed to Continue: NTA

In fact, the NEET UG 2026 examination has been cancelled following allegations of a major paper leak that surfaced in Rajasthan. During its investigation, the Special Operations Group (SOG) of the Rajasthan Police discovered that a 'guess paper' had been sold for lakhs of rupees, approximately 140 questions of which bore a resemblance to the actual NEET UG 2026 examination held on May 3.

The NTA received information regarding these irregularities on the evening of May 7; the very next day—May 8, 2026—the matter was handed over to central agencies for an independent investigation. Based on information received from the investigative agencies, as well as its own internal inquiry, the NTA reached the conclusion that "the current examination process cannot be allowed to continue." The NTA will now conduct a re-examination, the dates for which will be announced shortly through official channels.

Several forms of relief have been extended to the students:

Registration: Students will not be required to fill out a new form for the re-examination; their previously submitted data will be utilized.
Fees: No additional examination fee will be charged to any student. Furthermore, the fees they had previously deposited will be refunded to them.
Investigation: The Government of India has entrusted the comprehensive investigation of the entire matter to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The NTA will extend its full cooperation in this investigation.

Legal Challenges Against the NTA Intensify

The functioning and methodology of the NTA have also been challenged in the courts. In several instances, the judiciary has even reprimanded the agency. Notable among these are:

Case in the Supreme Court: In connection with the NEET UG 2024 paper leak case, the Supreme Court issued notices to the NTA and the Central Government, seeking their responses. During the hearings, the Supreme Court observed, "One thing is clear: the paper was leaked; there is no doubt about that." However, in April 2025, the Supreme Court closed the case. This decision was reached after the Central Government provided assurances that it would implement the reforms suggested by an expert panel. Petitions in the High Court: Several petitions were filed against the NTA in 2025 and 2026 as well. Courts dismissed petitions alleging discrepancies in the JEE 2025 response sheets and tampering with the NEET UG 2025 OMR sheets. Conversely, regarding errors found in one of the UGC NET 2025 papers, the Delhi High Court ordered the NTA to conduct an investigation.

Why are questions being raised about the NTA?

The NTA's failure is not limited merely to paper leaks; rather, it has multiple dimensions:

1. Paper Leaks and Corruption: This is the most serious allegation, as it amounts to playing with the future of students. In the 2024 NEET UG case, images of the exam paper were captured in Hazaribagh (Jharkhand) and Patna (Bihar) and subsequently circulated via encrypted platforms such as WhatsApp and Telegram. Some candidates admitted to purchasing the paper for sums ranging from ₹30 lakh to ₹50 lakh. Now, similar allegations have surfaced once again in 2026.

2. Recurring Lapses: In 2024, the UGC-NET examination had to be cancelled, the CSIR-NET was postponed, and the NEET UG matter reached the Supreme Court. The recurrence of the exact same situation in 2026—despite these prior events—raises serious questions regarding the NTA's preparedness and security protocols.

3. Questions over Security Protocols: The NTA claims to utilize state-of-the-art technologies, such as AI-assisted CCTV surveillance, biometric verification, and GPS-tracked vehicles. However, when paper leaks occur despite such stringent security measures, it becomes evident that either these arrangements exist only on paper or they are simply inadequate for the task at hand.

4. Lack of Leadership and Accountability: Opposition parties and student organizations are consistently questioning why no action is taken against the NTA's top officials, despite repeated errors. Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi has also accused the government of jeopardizing the future of the nation's youth.

What lies ahead for the students now?

The NTA has appealed to students not to pay heed to any rumors and to rely solely on the official website and notifications. This is a major test for the agency. It must not only conduct the examination afresh in a transparent manner but also win back the trust of the 2.3 million students—along with their families—whose dreams and hard work are at stake.

Since 2018, the NTA has conducted over 240 examinations, involving more than 54 million students. While this constitutes a significant achievement on one hand, the repeated erosion of the fundamental trust upon which the entire examination system rests is deeply concerning. The Supreme Court's reprimands, the cancellation of multiple examinations, and the emergence of a new controversy every year demonstrate that the NTA is in dire need of major and stringent reforms in its operational methods.