Centre may use IAF planes to fly NEET retest papers, PM Modi monitoring security: Report

NEW DELHI: To forestall insubstantial leak successful NEET-UG, Centre is actively exploring the usage of IAF craft for transporting question papers for the June 21 retest, arsenic portion of a wider "whole-of-govt" information strategy involving the location ministry, cardinal agencies and authorities constabulary networks, reports Manash Gohain.The connection was discussed astatine a high-level conscionable led by defence curate Rajnath Singh connected Thursday and attended by acquisition curate Dharmendra Pradhan, communications curate Jyotiraditya Scindia, elder PMO officials, NTA DG Abhishek Singh and apical bureaucrats from aggregate ministries. According to acquisition ministry sources, govt is considering deploying IAF lone for proscription logistics "because of clip constraints and due to the fact that govt doesn't privation to instrumentality immoderate chances this time".Sources stressed that nary last determination has yet been taken and the connection volition beryllium placed earlier PM Narendra Modi earlier immoderate ceremonial approval.The move, however, acknowledges the ever-evolving tricks utilized by those determined to leak papers of the entranceway trial for coveted seats successful aesculapian colleges, and the value for govt to guarantee the forthcoming NEET’s integrity. “The attack this clip is that each susceptible constituent successful the introspection concatenation indispensable beryllium secured with maximum redundancy and supervision.

Govt is leaving nary chromatic unturned,” a root said.The sources said if the IAF program is implemented, its planes volition present exam papers for the forthcoming NEET to prime locations successful a state, specified arsenic Lucknow, Agra and Gorakhpur and Varanasi successful UP; Patna and Darbhanga successful Bihar; Kolkata and Bagdogra successful Bengal. From past on, authorities agencies volition instrumentality implicit the occupation of transporting papers to districts and keeping them successful harmless custody and delivering them to exam centres.

Currently, transportation of papers is handled by a postal department.Officials said the gathering carried retired a elaborate reappraisal of the full exam rhythm — from empanelment of insubstantial setters and printing protocols to proscription routes, retention facilities, organisation networks and last-mile information arrangements astatine exam centres.Besides exploring usage of the IAF, discussions besides focused connected deeper coordination with MHA and authorities location departments for unafraid question and monitoring of question papers.

Sources said territory administrations and constabulary units are apt to beryllium integrated much intimately into the proscription and custody chain.The PM is understood to beryllium personally monitoring preparations for the June 21 retest and is being regularly briefed connected operational and information measures linked to the exam process, officials said. NEET-UG 2026 was cancelled connected May 12 aft allegations of a question insubstantial leak. CBI has arrested 13 radical from antithetic cities.