With just 16 days to go for the high-stakes NEET (UG) 2026 re-examination, Odisha’s top bureaucracy swung into action today as Chief Secretary Anu Garg personally reviewed every aspect of the upcoming test in a virtual meeting with all District Collectors.
Describing the examination as a “nationally important event”, the Chief Secretary directed the entire district administration to treat the preparations as a top-most priority. She laid special stress on three non-negotiable pillars: absolute safety of question papers, full readiness of all 132 examination centres across 27 cities, and seamless coordination among departments.
The re-examination will be held on Sunday, 21 June 2026, from 2:00 PM to 5:15 PM. As many as 56,983 candidates will appear at these centres. Every centre will have a Magistrate, sufficient police personnel and support staff to ensure zero tolerance for any malpractice or disturbance.
Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Hemant Sharma and Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Higher Education, Arvind Agrawal actively participated in the meeting and shared valuable inputs for flawless execution.
The Chief Secretary issued clear instructions to keep a hawk-eyed watch on social media and to immediately act against any rumour, fake information or suspicious activity that could disturb the sanctity of the exam. She also directed smooth traffic management, dedicated facilities for women and differently-abled candidates, and strengthened CCTV coverage at every centre. District Collectors have been asked to hold their own review meetings immediately to fine-tune ground-level arrangements.
Interestingly, 21 June also happens to be International Yoga Day. To avoid any overlap or confusion, the Chief Secretary ordered separate administrative and police deployments for both events so that neither would be affected.
National Testing Agency (NTA) Director General Shri Abhishek Singh is closely coordinating with the state government. The Secretary, Higher Education Department, has been designated as the Nodal Officer for the entire exercise.
By putting the entire state machinery on high alert well in advance, the Odisha government has sent a strong message: every candidate will get a fair, secure and transparent opportunity to appear in this career-defining examination.
