NEET UG 2026 Re-Exam: 20 Goa candidates denied extra 15 minutes at centre, demand inquiry

Twenty medical aspirants who took the fresh National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test - Re-NEET 2026 - on Sunday at a centre in Goa were allegedly denied the additional 15 minutes of paper time introduced for the re-examination.

According to a complaint submitted by one of the aggrieved candidates to the North Goa collector on Monday, the invigilator at one of the examination halls at the Sant Sohirobanath Ambiye Government College and Research Centre, located at Virnoda village in Pernem taluka, collected the answer sheets from candidates at 5 pm, 15 minutes before the scheduled conclusion of the three-and-a-quarter hours paper. After the candidates left the examination hall, it was revealed that the students in other examination blocks at the same centre were allowed to continue writing until 5:15 pm.

The complainant claimed that he had objected to being deprived of the full exam time, but to no avail. “We were informed that a deputy collector was present at the examination centre for administrative supervision. However, despite the issue being brought to the attention of the concerned authorities, no immediate corrective action was taken at the centre,” reads the letter by the student.

Medical aspirants across the country were asked to reappear for the medical entrance test after several questions from the original NEET paper, held on May 3, were found to have been leaked before the exam. The National Testing Agency (NTA) decided to extend the exam duration from 180 to 195 minutes to compensate for the additional time required for enhanced entry formalities.

Re-NEET 2026: ‘Every minute valuable’

The candidate said that the loss of examination time has adversely impacted the performance of affected students. “As NEET-UG is one of the most competitive entrance examinations in the country, every minute is extremely valuable. The loss of 15 minutes significantly affected our ability to review answers, attempt remaining questions, and maximise our performance. This has caused considerable distress, anxiety, and concern regarding the fairness of the examination process,” said the student.

The student has requested the collectorate to conduct an inquiry into the incident and apprise the examination authorities of the findings. He also demanded that all the affected candidates be either awarded compensatory marks or be allowed to sit for the examination once again.

“Students should not be made to suffer due to administrative or procedural lapses beyond their control. I therefore seek your urgent intervention to ensure that justice is delivered to all affected candidates and that the principles of fairness and equal opportunity are upheld,” reads the complaint.

Representatives of student organisations in the state, including Students Islamic Organisation of India (SIO), Youth Congress and the National Students Union of India (NSUI), met with the complainant and have demanded action against those responsible for the fiasco.

Academia360 has sought a response from NTA and Ankit Yadav, the North Goa collector. The report will be updated if and when they reply.