With more than 22 lakh medical aspirants set to appear for the NEET UG 2026 re-examination on June 21 Sunday, the National Testing Agency (NTA) has rolled out one of the country's most extensive examination security operations, deploying over 1.38 lakh CCTV cameras, more than 51,000 signal jammers and AI-assisted surveillance systems across thousands of centres.

The large-scale arrangements come weeks after the cancellation of the original NEET UG examination conducted on May 3 amid allegations of a paper leak, prompting authorities to place unprecedented emphasis on security, monitoring and candidate verification for the re-test.

According to the NTA, the examination will be conducted at 5,440 centres spread across 551 cities in India and 14 overseas locations. More than 95,000 examination rooms have been prepared for the test, with every room covered by CCTV surveillance.

To strengthen monitoring, authorities have installed 1,38,560 CCTV cameras whose live feeds will be tracked at multiple levels, including national, state and ministry control rooms. The surveillance network is also being supported by artificial intelligence-based analytics designed to identify suspicious activity and flag anomalies in real time.

Electronic malpractice prevention remains a key focus area. The NTA said 51,311 signal jammers have been deployed across examination centres, including equipment supplied by Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL) and Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), to block unauthorised communication devices during the examination.

Candidate verification protocols have also been tightened significantly. Nearly 39,000 personnel have been assigned for frisking duties, while more than 48,000 staff members will oversee biometric authentication. Authorities have doubled biometric verification manpower and integrated face-authentication systems to strengthen identity checks while reducing waiting time for candidates.

Each examination room will be supervised by two invigilators, while centres have been provided with additional examination personnel to manage operations smoothly. A dedicated Centre Systems Officer (CSO) has also been deployed at every examination centre to monitor CCTV systems and address technical issues immediately if they arise.

The NTA said around 6,700 observers have been stationed at centres nationwide, supported by over 100 virtual observers who will monitor live CCTV feeds remotely. Security arrangements have been further reinforced through the deployment of police personnel, paramilitary forces and support from multiple government agencies.

On average, 40 to 50 security personnel will be stationed at every examination centre, according to the agency. Officials from banks safeguarding confidential examination material and teams from the Department of Posts handling OMR sheet logistics have also been mobilised as part of the nationwide operation.

Ahead of the examination, authorities conducted a countrywide mock drill on Saturday to test critical systems, including CCTV networks, jammers, biometric verification infrastructure and frisking arrangements. Examination coordinators also verified the availability and security of confidential materials stored in designated custodian banks.

The NTA said it is closely tracking social media platforms and taking action against misinformation, including false claims relating to paper leaks and examination irregularities. Candidates and parents have been advised to rely only on official communication channels and avoid unverified messages circulating online.

Apart from security measures, the agency said centres have been instructed to provide student-friendly facilities such as drinking water, ORS support, ambulances and shaded waiting areas for parents. Examination rooms will also have wall clocks, while additional rough-work pages have been included in question booklets. Special provisions have been made for left-handed candidates, and the examination schedule has been adjusted to account for the additional time required during entry and verification procedures.

The NEET UG re-examination is scheduled for June 21 after the NTA cancelled the May 3 test following allegations of a paper leak. Authorities say the extensive arrangements are aimed at ensuring that candidates can take the examination in a secure, transparent and stress-free environment.

With PTI inputs