No postponement, stay calm: NTA shares advisory, stress helpline for students ahead of re-NEET

WIth simply trinity years left wing for the NEET-UG 2026 re-examination, the subject Testing Agency (NTA) on Thursday issued an advisory urging students to remain calm, ignore rumours about postponement of the examination and seek help if they are struggling with stress.In a message addressed to candidates, the agency said the examination would be conducted as scheduled and advised students to rely only on official communication."The NEET UG 2026 examination is just three days away. To every candidate: you have worked hard, you have prepared, and now is the time to trust your effort. Stay calm, rest well, and focus on doing your best. That is all that is asked of you," the NTA said.Read the full advisory here: "The examination will be conducted as scheduled. Please do not be swayed by rumours of postponement or by the noise on social media. Rely only on official communication from NTA," it added.The agency said extensive arrangements had been put in place to ensure a "safe, secure and fair examination" in coordination with ministries, state governments and security agencies.Aso Read: Telegram moves Delhi HC against Centre's temporary block order ahead of NEET re-test"We want to reassure you that extensive arrangements are in place for a safe, secure and fair examination, in close coordination with relevant ministries, state governments and security agencies. The integrity of this process is our highest priority, and robust, multi-layered safeguards have been put in place," the advisory stated.The NTA also warned that any attempt at malpractice would be dealt with firmly and reiterated that the decision to cancel the original May 3 examination was taken in the interest of students.Telegram access restrictedIn a bid to prevent cheating and the spread of misinformation ahead of the NEET-UG 2026 re-examination, the Centre has temporarily restricted access to the messaging platform Telegram across India till June 22.The move, taken on the recommendation of the NTA, was aimed at disrupting organised fraud networks that allegedly used the platform to circulate fake question papers, scam candidates and spread misleading claims related to paper leaks.Aspirant deaths, mounting pressureThe advisory comes amid mounting concern over the mental health of NEET aspirants following the cancellation of the original examination over an alleged paper leak and the announcement of a nationwide re-test on June 21.Multiple aspirants allegedly died by suicide in the days following the cancellation of the examination, which affected more than 22 lakh candidates.Among them were a 21-year-old aspirant from Uttar Pradesh's Lakhimpur Kheri and a 20-year-old woman from Delhi's Adarsh Nagar, whose families linked their emotional distress to the uncertainty surrounding the examination.In Rajasthan, an aspirant who had been preparing for NEET for three years allegedly died by suicide after the test was scrapped. His family said they had expected him to score around 650 marks. The student from Lakhimpur Kheri was attempting the examination for the third time and was said to be confident of clearing it, while the Delhi aspirant had narrowly missed qualifying in an earlier attempt and was hopeful of securing admission this year, according to family members.In a separate incident, an 18-year-old student from Karnataka's Kalaburagi district allegedly died by suicide days after appearing for the examination that was later cancelled. Her father said she had scored 92 per cent in her pre-university examinations and had performed well in NEET, but may have been worried about having to take the test again.The NTA urged students not to suffer in silence and highlighted the availability of the MANAS mental health helpline for those struggling with stress or anxiety ahead of the re-examination."If the pressure feels heavy, please know you are not alone. The MANAS mental-health helpline (14416) is available, and support is there for anyone who needs it. Reaching out is a sign of strength," the agency said.The NTA also appealed to parents, teachers and the wider community to help reduce anxiety among candidates by avoiding the circulation of unverified information and rumours."A humble request to parents, teachers, and the wider community: please help us keep our students calm. Avoid sharing unverified information. Let them walk into the examination with steady, untroubled minds," it said.The re-examination is scheduled to be held on June 21 after the original NEET-UG 2026 test was cancelled following allegations of a paper leak.(With agency inputs)