The National Testing Agency (NTA) has announced a series of candidate-friendly changes for the NEET (UG) 2026 examination, which is scheduled to be held on June 21. The agency said the changes have been introduced to make the examination process more comfortable for students while maintaining fairness and security.According to an official notice, the examination window has been extended to 195 minutes and will now run from 2:00 pm to 5:15 pm. NTA said the additional time includes mandatory examination formalities such as signing attendance sheets and other invigilation procedures.The agency explained that the revised examination window has been designed so that candidates can use the intended examination time without feeling that administrative processes are reducing the time available to attempt the paper.Another major change relates to rough work pages provided in the question paper booklet. NTA has increased the number of rough work pages from two to four. The agency said this will give candidates more space for calculations, diagrams and other workings during the examination.The layout of the rough work pages has also been changed following feedback from students. Earlier, all rough work pages were placed at the end of the question paper booklet. NTA said some candidates, especially left-handed students, found this arrangement less convenient.To address this concern, two rough work pages will now be placed immediately after the instruction page at the beginning of the booklet, while two pages will continue to be available at the end. The revised format has been introduced in both English and regional language question paper booklets.In the notice, NTA said, “Even small improvements in examination design can have a positive impact on the experience of candidates during a high-stakes examination.”The agency added that these measures have been introduced to make the examination process more candidate-friendly while ensuring the highest standards of fairness and security.
