The Indian Air Force (IAF) has airlifted sealed NEET UG 2026 question paper consignments to 18 locations across the country as part of a seven-layer security framework put in place by the National Testing Agency (NTA).
The IAF deployed its heavy-lift C-17 Globemaster aircraft to transport sealed consignments to 18 strategically designated locations, including Patna and other high-stakes testing hubs. Upon arrival at these regional airbases, the cargo is transferred to heavily guarded ground transport and remains under strict surveillance until it reaches examination centres. More than 200 sorties were flown as part of the operation. A trial landing by an Indian Army helicopter was also conducted at the Armed Reserve Ground in Tirunelveli as part of advance logistics preparations.
The elaborate arrangements follow the cancellation of the May 12 NEET UG examination after allegations that the question paper had been leaked before the test. The re-examination for affected candidates will be held on June 21.
The airlift operation forms one component of a seven-layer security framework for the re-examination. The framework secures every stage of the paper's journey, from question setting and printing to transportation, candidate verification and answer sheet evaluation.
The first layer begins with the question setters themselves. They work from secure, undisclosed locations, completely cut off from mobile phones and internet access. The second layer covers printing, which takes place under round-the-clock CCTV surveillance, with every paper set carrying a unique coded identifier that makes each copy individually traceable.
The third layer focuses on transportation. Confidential materials are moved through GPS-tracked vehicles escorted by CRPF and CISF personnel, with the IAF airlift forming the backbone of inter-city movement.
At examination centres, candidates will undergo Aadhaar-based biometric verification supported by facial recognition and live photography to minimise the possibility of impersonation and proxy candidates. This is followed by multiple rounds of frisking, including metal detector checks and separate screening arrangements for male and female candidates. Mobile phones, smartwatches, calculators and other electronic devices are prohibited.
Inside examination halls, 5G signal jammers will block communication networks, while AI-enabled CCTV systems will stream live footage to a central control room, with multi-level oversight that includes direct monitoring from the Prime Minister's Office (PMO). The final layer extends into the digital sphere, with a central command monitoring social media platforms and online channels in real time to detect misinformation, suspicious activity and potential attempts to compromise the examination.
After the examination concludes, answer sheets will be transported back through the same secured system. OMR sheets will be sealed and escorted by CRPF and CISF personnel, remaining under CCTV surveillance until packaging and dispatch for evaluation are completed.
The government also temporarily restricted access to Telegram ahead of the exam. The NTA said messages circulating on social media claiming a leak or advance access to the re-examination paper were "false, fraudulent and intended to mislead candidates," and stated it was filing formal complaints with law enforcement and cybercrime authorities against those responsible.
However, Telegram CEO Pavel Durov criticised the government's temporary ban, saying it punishes ordinary users of the app. The ban affects and 'punishes' 150M+ ordinary users in India and not those who leaked the papers.
A Delhi court, meanwhile, allowed Yash Yadav, one of the accused in the alleged paper leak case, to appear for the re-examination while remaining in judicial custody, observing that the right to education is a fundamental right. The court has sought the Central Bureau of Investigation's (CBI) response before deciding on his interim bail plea.