NEET-PG 2026 revamps test centers, cuts questions and boosts security measures

The Union health ministry has introduced a suite of reforms for the NEET-PG exam scheduled for August 30. Aspirants must submit preferences for three states, with their residence state automatically set as the first choice, enabling allocation of centers closer to home and notification of the assigned city about three weeks in advance. The National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences has trimmed the questionnaire from 200 to 180 items, keeping the 210-minute duration unchanged, thereby increasing the average time per question.

Security protocols now require Aadhaar authentication at registration and on exam day, with iris scanning as a fallback where fingerprints fail, and the question paper will be encrypted, sealed and digitally decrypted at the start of the test. A new email address has been opened for reporting impersonation or other unfair practices. The examination will run in a single nationwide shift, covering around 340 cities and more than 1,300 centers, supported by over 60,000 staff and extensive CCTV and signal-jamming measures.