Dharmendra Pradhan chairs high-level meeting to review preparedness for NEET UG re-exam

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Thursday chaired a high-level review meeting with senior officials from the Ministry of Education, state governments, the National Testing Agency (NTA) and higher education institutions to assess preparedness for the NEET-UG re-examination scheduled for June 21. During the meeting, Pradhan stressed the need to uphold the highest standards of integrity, transparency and efficiency in the conduct of the examination. He directed all concerned authorities to remain vigilant and ensure comprehensive preparedness for the re-test.

The minister urged officials to put in place all necessary measures for the free and fair conduct of the examination. Emphasising the importance of coordination, he said officers designated by the Ministry of Education would be deployed across states to oversee activities related to the re-examination and report to the command centre headed by the Director General of the NTA.

Pradhan also instructed state government nodal officers to ensure that candidates are provided with all necessary facilities so that they can appear for the examination in a stress-free environment. According to the Ministry of Education, the meeting was attended by Secretary, Department of School Education and Literacy, Sanjay Kumar; Secretary, Department of Higher Education, Vineet Joshi; and NTA Director General Abhishek Singh, among other officials.

Sanjay Kumar emphasised that students should be made comfortable by ensuring adequate facilities, including proper seating arrangements before the examination and the availability of drinking water at centres. He urged state authorities to take all necessary steps in this regard.

Vineet Joshi highlighted the importance of the period leading up to the re-examination and called for proactive coordination, timely dissemination of instructions and strict adherence to established protocols.
Abhishek Singh said the NTA was working closely with district-level coordination committees led by District Magistrates, state police departments and intelligence agencies to ensure the smooth conduct of the examination.

The meeting included detailed discussions on examination preparedness, coordination mechanisms, security arrangements, logistical planning, grievance redressal systems and compliance with examination guidelines. States and Union Territories were advised to maintain close coordination with all stakeholders to ensure a transparent and seamless examination process.

A total of 222 participants attended the meeting in hybrid mode, including senior officials from states and Union Territories, nodal officers of centrally funded institutions, vice-chancellors and directors of higher educational institutions. Participants assured full cooperation and reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring the smooth conduct of the examination and a hassle-free experience for candidates.

The NEET-UG examination conducted last month was cancelled following allegations of a question paper leak. Authorities subsequently announced that the re-examination would be held on June 21.