NEW DELHI: In one of the most stringent examination-security exercises undertaken in recent years, all experts involved in setting, moderating and translating the NEET-UG 2026 retest question paper have been moved to a secure, undisclosed location and placed under strict isolation protocols, with authorities virtually eliminating external communication in the final stages of paper preparation.The “lockdown” will be in place till the end of the exam on June 21.The extraordinary arrangements are part of a sweeping overhaul of the examination security architecture following the paper leak controversy that forced cancellation of the NEET-UG, held in May, and trig-gered nationwide concern among more than 22 lakh candidates.

Lockdown just the 1st layer of multi-tier security framework

Officials familiar with the preparations said paper setters, moderators, translators and other personnel associated with the confidential stages of question paper development are staying at a secured facility under supervision.Mobile phones, laptops and personal communication devices have been restricted, while access to the internet and outside contacts has been tightly controlled. Entry and exit are being monitored and documented, with only authorised personnel permitted access to the facility. Digital devices, including smartwatches, are kept out of bounds, they said.The “lockdown” of the paper-setting process forms the first layer of a multi-tier security framework put in place by the education ministry and National Testing Agency (NTA) ahead of the June 21 re-examination — to be conducted in pen-and-paper mode from 2 pm to 5.15 pm across 551 cities in India and 14 cities abroad.Officials said every stage of the examination cycle — from question paper development and translation to moderation, printing, packaging, storage, transportation and distribution — is now being subjected to enhanced oversight. The entire process has been compartmentalised to ensure that no single individual or group has access to the complete chain of operations.The transportation of question papers has emerged as another critical focus area. Govt has explored the use of Indian Air Force aircraft for secure movement of examination material across the country.In the digital domain, authorities are conducting “round-the-clock monitoring of social media platforms, messaging applications and online forums to identify fake question papers, misinformation campaigns and suspicious activity”.It is learnt that Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan has directed officials to ensure that every vulnerability identified in the earlier examination cycle is comprehensively addressed.