Heavy security for NEET retest may create more pressure on students: Annamalai

Expressing concern over the heavy security arrangements for the NEET retest on June 21, former BJP leader and Tamil Nadu unit chief K Annamalai on Tuesday (June 16) said it would add to the existing pressure on students and create a new set of problems for them.

Concerns over security measures

Apart from the question papers for the NEET retest being transported by Indian Air Force (IAF) aircraft along with a combined escort by the CRPF and CISF, Annamalai said that additional security measures, including 4-layer CCTV with AI surveillance and biometric and facial recognition of candidates before entering the exam hall, would also be in place.

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These security measures, said Annamalai, would create extra pressure on the candidates, failing the very goal of the National Education Policy to reduce "exam stress.”

"While the government has taken measures to contain leaks, they have forgotten the additional burden they have imposed on a student before they take up an assessment, one that they have spent months preparing for, dissolving the entire purpose of our exam system and the NEP 2020’s goal to reduce ‘exam stress’” stated Annamalai in a post on X.

Details of the arrangements

"Two-tier CRPF+CISF escort with IAF airlift. 4-layer CCTV with AI surveillance. Biometric & facial recognition before entry. Multiple layers of frisking. Multi-level oversight with direct monitoring from the prime minister’s office. Yes, you read it right. But these are not arrangements to buy high-level, classified, military-grade software. These are the arrangements made by the Ministry of Education for the NEET retest scheduled for June 21, 2026," he added.

Also Read: IAF to airlift NEET re-exam papers: 'India copying wrong things from China'

Elaborating further, the former BJP leader said that the Centre’s initiative to prevent paper leaks by implementing additional security measures and enhanced monitoring would be appreciated by the students.

Impact on students

However, he said, an increase in scrutiny before entry, extended frisking, and an increase in the overall exam time from 180 minutes to 195 minutes will only add to their already ballooning exam pressure, criticising the Central government days after he announced the launch of his own political outfit.

Despite all these arrangements for the examination, there are issues with downloading the admit cards, and NTA has assured students that it will resolve them at the earliest, he said.

"Yes, there are challenges that demand meaningful solutions. However, I am concerned that the approach devised for the NEET retest may not resolve the issue; instead, it risks creating a new set of problems," Annamalai said.

The NEET UG 2026 re-examination has been officially announced for June 21. The official pen-and-paper exam will be conducted by the National Testing Agency from 2 pm to 5 pm.