NEET 2026 Exam Live: Exam from 2 pm , check Last Minute Instructions, Reporting Time, Whats Allowed and Whats Now

The NEET UG 2026 is in progress. The mood is electrifying as more than 22.79 lakh aspirants appear in 5,432 centers. Candidates should be deeply engrossed in the paper. According to preliminary assessments from various specialists, students ought to be finishing up the biology course and going on to chemistry or physics. There is still strict security outside, and the hallways are quiet.

The NEET UG 2026 Exam has started at 2 pm.

As the NEET UG Exam 2026 will start from 2 PM today, and will conclude at 5 PM today, the gate will close for the exam centre at 1:30 PM

As the NEET UG Exam 2026 is about to begin, medical aspirants should check the must have essentials one last time:-

First and Foremost a clear printout of the Admit card.

Passport size photo as uploaded online.

Original Aadhar card, PAN Card, Voter ID or Passport or anyother government issued ID Card.

Transparent Water Bottle. 

Jagran Josh Wishes you All the Best

NEET will be conducted from 2 pm to 5 pm across the country. Candidates with disabilities will be given an additional one hour to attempt the examination. Examination for PwD candidates will end at 6 pm.

The examination is in pen and paper mode and there is no restrictions on which questions students can attempt first. All candidates are advised however to ensure that they are marking the correct questions in the OMR sheet. 

NTA will retain the question paper pattern for NEET 2026 examination. Students have to attempt a total of 180 questions carrying 4 marks each. Each question carried a negative mark of 1 for incorrect answer. Correct answer gets candidates a +4 marks. No attempt is counted as zero. 

Out of 180 questions, 90 would be from Biology (Zoology + Botony) and 90 are from Physics and Chemistry (45 each). Please note, there is no bifurcation for Biology. Earlier it used to be 45 questions each from botony and zoology. However, NTA has been revising the same and now the numbers are more skewed towards zoology with only limited botony questions. 

NEET Exam will begin in less than three hours now. Students/ candidates who have not reached the examination centre are advised to reach the same at the earliest. Exam will begin in pen and paper format at sharp 2 pm. All students must carry their admit cards to the examination centre along with their ID cards. 

NEET is one of the largest examinations conducted in the world. With 23 lakh students appearing for just about 1 lakh MBBS seats, there is bound to be some failure. It is hence important for students to keep their motivation high. Today, as you go for your exam, remember that you are appearing to check and compete with only yourself. Keep calm and do your best. This is one of the many many options available to you. 

Parents and family are also requested to speak words of encouragement to the aspirants. Here's some motivational quotes you can share. All the best to all. 

Candidates must carry their admit card along with the official identity card to the examination centre. The admit cards were released by NTA on the official website neet.nta.nic.in. All candidates are requested to carry a printed copy of the admit card and not the digital admit cards. No digital devices will be allowed. Candidates must carry the printed copy as well as the original ID card and a copy of the same along with the prescribed photographs as specified by the agency in the instructions. The photograph should be the same as the one uploaded during application. 

Candidates have been advised to reach at  least two hours before the gates close to the examination centres. Candidates are accordingly advised strongly to reach the exam centres by 11 am to avoid any last minute delays. The gates will close at 1:30 pm and no candidate will be allowed entry into the exam centres under any circumstances. 

Candidates have been advised to wear open sandles and low heeled footwear to the examination centres. Shoes are to be avoided. Candidates may be required to remove their shoes for security checks. It is hence advisable to wear slippers to the exam centres. 

To ensure ease and proper conduct, NTA has dedicated helpline for NEET 2026 examination. Parents and students can reach out on the following numbers in case of any concerns. 

Phone Helpline: 011-40759000 / 011-69227700 or Email: neetug2026@nta.ac.in

Candidates cannot carry

• Any eatables
• Any printed material
• Any electronic devices
• Digital or Smart Watches
• Any jewellery (unless as per religious customs)

NEET Exam Centre gates will close at 1:30 pm sharp. Students are required to be seated on their seats by that time. Once at the designated seat, students are required to fill the attendance sheet and provide their information. The examination question paper will be shared only at 2 pm when the bell rings.

Students must check the following three things as soon as they get NEET Question Paper

1. If the seal is intact - this is extremely important. Students will be asked to unseal the question papers . Once they receive it, the simple seal shoudl not be broken.

2. Question Paper is in the language opted for. Regional question papers would be bilingual - English + language opted. English question papers, however, would only be in English.

3. Number of pages are as per the booklet's mentioned number. In case booklet mentions 24 pages, then students must count and check that the pages are there. 

NTA will be conducting the examination for 22.79 lakh registered users today. NEET is the only examination for admission to medical and dental courses in the country. The exam will be conducted at 5432 centres across the country today under strict supervision and surveillance. NTA has taken strict measures to ensure the sanctity of the examination and has also asked students not to fall for rumours. Many telegram channels have also been blocked to stop the fake news peddlers from sharing alleged question papers and create unrest among students. 

NEET Exam will begin at 2 pm sharp. Students who are appearing for the examination are permitted to carry select items only. With heatwave across the country, students are permitted to carry water bottles to the examination centres. The water bottles, however, need to be transparent. Only transparent plastic clear bottles are permitted inside. No other coloured bottles or bottles with any markings would be allowed inside the examination centre. 

The link for students to download the NEET UG 2026 admit card is available on the official website. As mentioned earlier, the NEET admit card is a mandatory document to be carried by students to the centre. Candidates appearing for the exams need to produce a copy of the admit card at the exam centre. Students will not be permitted to enter the exam hall without the admit card. 

For NEET UG 2026, the National Testing Agency (NTA) has issued a stress code. Both male and female candidates must adhere to the dress code for the smooth conduct of the exams. Students need to dress in simple, light-colored (half-sleeve) clothes with no large buttons, badges, or embroidery. Shoes are strictly prohibited. Students are advised to wear slippers or sandals. Female candidates should avoid jewellery and heavy clothes, while male candidates should avoid jeans and full-sleeved shirts.

NTA will be conducting the NEET UG 2026 exams today, May 3, 2026. The exams will be conducted for a duration of 3 hours from 2 PM to 5 PM. Candidates with disabilities will be given until 6 PM. Candidates appearing for the exams are advised to reach the exam centre between 11 AM and 1:30 PM to complete the verification, frisking and biometric verification process. Students are also advised to carry hard copies of their NEET UG Admit Card and a valid Photo ID proof. 

The National Testing Agency has rebuked claims of NEET UG 2026 paper leaks, confirming stringent security, including GPS-tracked transport, 24/7 CCTV, mandatory Aadhaar-based biometric verification, and two-layer frisking for the 22.8 lakh candidates across centres. Exams will begin at 2 PM today, May 3, 2026. Candidates are advised to stay away from social media and focus on the last-minute revision process. 

NTA Rubbishes NEET Paper Leak Claims, Releases Official Advisory

Candidates have been issued an advisory by the National Testing Agency. Students appearing for the exams must keep the following points in mind. 

Reach the examination centre well before the reporting window,
accounting for traffic and weather

Strictly follow the dress code and permissible items advisory issued on
30 April 2026, available on neet.nta.nic.in

Carry only permitted items and adhere strictly to examination guidelines; mobile phones, smart watches, Bluetooth devices, calculators, wallets, jewellery, metallic accessories and food packets are not allowed inside the examination hall

Rely only on official communications from neet.nta.nic.in

Not fall prey to rumours or fraudulent claims of question paper leaks; report suspicious messages or channels to NTA or to cyber-crime authorities

Trust their own preparation and remain calm — for any concerns related to mental well-being, NTA has earlier shared official helplines including Tele-MANAS (14416), the 24x7 national mental health helpline

NEET UG 2026 entrance is scheduled for 2 PM to 5 PM today, May 3, 2026. As per the notification issued, students must report to the exam centre between 11 AM and 1:30 PM. The Entry gates will close at 1:30 PM, no exceptions.  Candidates arriving later will not be permitted entry thereafter after the given time.

To facilitate timely entry:

Candidates wearing customary or religious attire and those wishing to
Wear full sleeves or woollens, and are advised to report early to allow time for thorough frisking

Candidates are advised to verify the exact address of their examination
centre from the admit card. Map applications may show incorrect pins
for some centres and should not be relied upon as the sole reference

Candidates must carry a printed copy of the admit card, one original valid photo ID and two passport-size photographs for affixing on the attendance sheet

NTA has also made arragements for the confir of candidates appearing for the NEET UG Exam today

• Reliable power back-up, including generators, at all centres

• Adequate electricity, lighting and fans to ensure candidate comfort during the afternoon shift

• All candidates can carry a Transparent Water Bottle

• Additional biometric machines and trained personnel deployed to expedite verification

• Diabetic candidates permitted to carry sugar tablets and fruits (banana, apple, orange) with a transparent water bottle, in line with existing NTA guidelines

• Travel and weather advisories issued in advance, urging candidates to plan travel early and verify centre addresses from the admit card

• Drinking water, sanitation and on-site medical support

Officials will be conducting a strict monitoring of various social media platforms to curb misinformation and prevent malpractice. According to the details provided by NTA, more than 65 Telegram channels have been blocked for circulating fake question papers and false rumours intended to mislead and defraud candidates. NTA has also filed complaints with cybercrime authorities and is taking strict action against those involved.

NTA has put in place a multi-layered security framework to ensure a fair and transparent examination:

End-to-end secure handling of confidential materials to designated locations under sealed protocols

GPS-enabled vehicles with police escort for the movement of examination materials

CCTV surveillance at all examination centres, with feeds linked to centralised control rooms

Mandatory frisking through high-sensitivity metal detectors before entry, with strengthened manpower and equipment at every centre

Aadhaar-based biometric authentication to prevent impersonation

Real-time monitoring through centralised control systems

According to the notification issued, the NEET UG 2026 examination will be conducted across 551 cities in India and 14 cities abroad, at over 5,432 centres, for approximately 22.79 lakh registered candidates.

674 City Coordinators overseeing city-level operations

More than 6,000 Observers deployed for independent oversight at examination centres

Centre Superintendents and Invigilators at every examination centre

Active support of District Administrations, Police Forces and Escort Teams, particularly for the secure transportation of confidential materials

The National Testing Agency issued an official notification reassuring the smooth conduct of the exams today. As per the notification, the National Testing Agency (NTA) is fully prepared for the conduct of NEET (UG) 2026, scheduled on Sunday, 3 May 2026, from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM (IST) in pen-and-paper mode. Candidates with disabilities (PwD/PwBD) eligible for compensatory time will be permitted to write the examination up to 6:00 PM.

As per the notification issued, on the day of examination, after the frisking process is completed, every candidate must undergo the mandatory biometric process before entering the exam hall. It must, however, be noted that if the biometric process remains incomplete due to device issues, failure to connect to UIDAI or physical inability to provide biometric data, the candidate will be permitted to enter the exam hall after a written undertaking is submitted in the prescribed format.

The NEET UG 2026 examination is conducted in the offline (Pen and Paper) mode. Candidates are required to colour in the correct option in the OMR sheet provided. All questions will be Multiple Choice. Students will be required to answer 45 questions from Physics and Chemistry each and 90 questions in Biology within 3 hours. 

As mentioned, the NEET UG entrance examination will be conducted in the offline mode for a duration of three hours. Candidates need to answer a total of 180 compulsory questions for 720 marks. The question will all be in the Multiple Choice (MCQ) format, with Physics and Chemistry having 45 questions each and Biology/ Botany and Zoology with 90 questions. Each correct answer will be awarded 4 Marks and -1 will be marked for incorrect answers

The admit card PDF is a mandatory document to be carried by students to the exam centre. The NEET UG admit card includes the details of candidates, category, subjects and the exam centre details. Students are required to present their admit card at the centre for verification along with a valid id proof with a photograph. Entry into the exam hall without the physical copy of the NEET UG admit card will not be permitted. Students must also not that no digitial copies of Admit cards will be allowed. 

The NEET UG entrance examination is scheduled to be conducted today, May 3, 2026. Students need to answer questions from the Physics, Chemistry and Biology (Zoology and Botany) sections. Shortly after the exams conclude, students will be provided with the complete analysis of the NEET UG examination, a review of the question paper, the difficulty level and the initial response of candidates. 

The NEET UG 2026 examination will be held from 2 PM today. For the verification process, candidates are advised to reach the centres at least 1 hour before the commencement of the exam in order to complete the verification process. The centre authorities will be conducting the physical verification and biometric verification process. Students need to carry the following documents with them

NEET UG Admit Card

Valid Photo ID Proof

Disability or any other document to be shown at the centre

NEET UG 2026 examination will be held from 2 PM to 5 PM. Candidates appearing for their medical entrance examination today are advised to keep their NEET UG admit card, valid ID proof and other documents ready with them before entering the exam hall. Candidates must note that a thorough frisking of individuals will be conducted before entering the exam hall. Students are advised to be prepared for the same. 

NEET UG 2026 exam will be conducted in a single shift today, May 3, 2026. The exam is scheduled to be held in the offline mode across all designated centres at the same time. Candidates appearing for the exams must make sure they reach the centre on time and complete the frisking, biometric verification and other verification process before hand.