A controversy surrounding the NEET UG 2026 re-examination took a fresh turn on Saturday after the National Testing Agency (NTA) stated that a Nagpur-based candidate had personally selected Abu Dhabi and Dubai as his preferred examination cities.
The clarification comes after reports emerged that a student from Nagpur was unexpectedly allotted an examination centre in Abu Dhabi for the NEET UG 2026 re-test scheduled for June 21, triggering widespread concern and political reactions.
NTA Rejects Claims of Allocation Error
According to a senior NTA official, records indicate that the candidate modified his examination city preferences through the official portal on May 21. During the update, Abu Dhabi was selected as the first preference, while Dubai was chosen as the second.
The agency further revealed that the same IP address used to make these changes was later used to download the candidate’s admit card for the May 3 examination.
Officials also stated that the candidate updated bank details for a refund request on May 24 and accessed both the city intimation slip and admit card from the same internet connection.
In a statement posted on social media, the NTA said the examination centre preference was changed to Abu Dhabi on three separate occasions using the candidate’s login credentials. The portal also displayed Abu Dhabi as the assigned centre multiple times before the admit card was issued.
Family Maintains Nagpur Was First Choice
The student’s father, Abdulla Talib, has disputed the agency’s claims. He said his son originally selected Nagpur, Wardha and Bhandara as preferred examination cities.
The family argued that sending the candidate abroad at such short notice was impossible because he did not possess a passport and there was insufficient time to arrange international travel.
The issue gained national attention after the family raised concerns publicly, prompting criticism from opposition leaders and renewed scrutiny of the examination process.
NTA Questions Delay in Complaint
NTA officials pointed out that the candidate downloaded the admit card on June 16 but did not immediately report any discrepancy.
According to the agency, neither the student nor family members contacted the NTA through official channels before approaching the media.
Despite maintaining that the examination city was selected through the candidate’s account, the NTA has now accommodated the request and allotted a centre in Nagpur.
The agency added that its cyber security team is investigating whether the modifications were made directly by the candidate or by an unauthorised individual who may have gained access to the account.
Only One Such Case Reported
The NTA said this was the only known case involving the allotment of an overseas examination centre to a domestic candidate during the NEET UG 2026 re-examination process.
Officials also noted that several last-minute requests for examination centre changes have been accommodated to ensure candidates can appear for the test without difficulty.
NEET UG 2026 Re-Test Scheduled for June 21
The nationwide NEET UG 2026 re-examination will be conducted on June 21 from 2:00 PM to 5:15 PM in pen-and-paper mode.
More than 22.79 lakh candidates are expected to appear across 551 cities in India and 14 international locations. Authorities have implemented enhanced security measures, including CCTV surveillance, biometric verification, GPS-monitored transport of question papers and real-time monitoring systems.
As the controversy unfolds, the focus now shifts to the findings of the NTA’s cyber investigation and the smooth conduct of one of India’s largest medical entrance examinations.
