PM Modi Puts NEET Aspirants First, Delays Departure From Delhi Airport

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Key points generated by AI, verified by newsroom

• PM Modi delayed airport exit, avoiding traffic for re-exam.
• NEET re-examination involved 22 lakh candidates under strict security.
• Exam rules changed: extended time, more rough work sheets.

In a gesture aimed at ensuring a smooth commute for lakhs of students, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reportedly delayed his departure from Delhi Airport on Saturday to avoid disrupting traffic ahead of the NEET-UG re-examination.

The Prime Minister arrived at the Indira Gandhi International Airport around 1:15 pm, just 45 minutes before the nationwide medical entrance test was scheduled to begin at 2 pm. Instead of immediately heading to his residence, PM chose to remain at the airport until the examination commenced, officials said.

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The decision was taken to prevent any inconvenience to students travelling to their exam centres during a crucial period. Movement of the Prime Minister’s convoy typically involves extensive traffic management and temporary route restrictions, which could have affected candidates rushing to reach venues on time.

With thousands of aspirants navigating Delhi’s roads before the exam, authorities said the Prime Minister preferred to wait rather than risk causing congestion along key routes.

Once the NEET-UG re-test began at 2 pm, Modi departed the airport for his residence.

Over 22 Lakh Candidates Appearing For NEET-UG Re-Exam

The re-examination is being conducted under unprecedented security measures following the cancellation of the earlier test amid allegations of irregularities and paper leaks.

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This year, more than 22 lakh candidates are appearing for the examination across 5,440 centres in India and 14 overseas locations. To ensure a fair and secure process, the National Testing Agency (NTA) has deployed a massive monitoring network, including 1.38 lakh CCTV cameras, AI-powered surveillance systems, over 51,000 signal jammers, biometric verification teams, frisking personnel, observers and virtual monitors.

As one of India’s largest entrance examinations and the gateway to undergraduate medical admissions, NEET-UG remains a high-stakes test for millions of aspiring doctors across the country.

NEET Exam Rules Changed: Extended Time, Extra Pages

Candidates will now receive 195 minutes to complete the paper instead of the earlier 180 minutes. The examination is scheduled to run from 2 pm to 5:15 pm. 

The NTA has also doubled the number of rough work sheets available to students. Candidates will now receive four pages instead of two, providing additional space for calculations, particularly in the Physics and Chemistry sections. 

To ensure smooth implementation of the revised arrangements, the agency conducted a nationwide mock drill ahead of the examination.