NEET SS 2026: Doctors’ body urges NBEMS to declare definitive exam schedule, commence registration

The Federation of Resident Doctors’ Association (FORDA) today, 28 October 2026, urged the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) in New Delhi to declare a definitive schedule and commence registration for the NEET-SS 2026 examination. This appeal addresses what FORDA describes as prolonged uncertainty causing considerable anxiety among thousands of postgraduate medical specialists across the country who are preparing for super-specialty admissions.

With less than 45 days remaining before the tentatively scheduled NEET-SS 2026 examination dates of 11 and 12 December 2026, the registration process has not yet commenced, and no clear update regarding the definitive examination schedule or registration timeline has been communicated by NBEMS.

Uncertainty for NEET-Ss 2026 Aspirants

FORDA sent a letter to the Chairman of the NBEMS, requesting the immediate declaration of a clear and definitive schedule for NEET-SS 2026. The association also sought confirmation of the proposed examination dates and the earliest commencement of the online registration process. According to FORDA, candidates require adequate time to complete registration, arrange necessary documents, plan professional commitments, and prepare for this crucial examination.

“This prolonged uncertainty is causing considerable anxiety among thousands of postgraduate medical specialists across the country who are preparing for super-specialty admissions,” FORDA stated. “The continued absence of a confirmed timeline makes it increasingly difficult for them to plan their academic and professional futures.” FORDA further requested an official notification specifying registration opening and closing dates, admit card release date, examination schedule, and the expected timeline for result declaration for NEET-SS 2026.

Previous NEET Examination Irregularities and Unfilled SEATS

The call for clarity on NEET-SS 2026 comes given recent challenges faced by other national medical entrance examinations. The NEET (UG) 2026 examination, conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA), was initially scheduled for 21 June 2026 but was cancelled on 12 May 2026. The then Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan announced on 15 May 2026 that NEET-UG would transition from a pen-and-paper/OMR format to a Computer-Based Test (CBT) from 2027, a move the government stated remained ‘under active consideration’ in an affidavit filed before the Supreme Court in August 2026.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has been investigating a paper leak in the NEET-UG 2026 examination. P.V. Kulkarni, a chemistry lecturer involved in the examination process, was arrested on 15 May 2026, followed by the arrest of Manisha Gurunath Mandhare, a senior botany teacher appointed as an NTA expert, on 16 May 2026. The CBI investigation found that questions recovered from the phone of RCC Classes’ founder matched all 45 Chemistry questions in a master test booklet. A supplementary chargesheet naming 13 accused in the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak case was filed on 28 July. In addition, 664 MBBS seats remained unfilled after round 3 NEET counselling, as detailed in the table below:

Concerns over Examination Security and Transparency

The CBI investigation into the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak revealed that a mock test dated 19 April 2026 contained 15 questions that matched master set Kailash, while a second mock test dated 30 April 2026 contained six questions matching master set Shivalik and five matching master set 2. Additionally, 12 images containing 13 Chemistry questions recovered from P.V. Kulkarni’s phone between 11 April and 29 April matched 13 questions across the four Chemistry master sets for NEET-UG 2026. According to a CBI investigation source, “Forty-three of the 45 questions of master set Kailash matched the document recovered containing leaked Chemistry questions. All 45 questions of master test booklet ‘M’ Shivalik matched the document recovered containing leaked Chemistry questions.”

These incidents follow previous concerns regarding examination security. The NEET-UG 2024 examination illustrated vulnerabilities in the physical question-paper-and-answer-sheet chain, with the CBI finding the question paper was stolen at Oasis School, Hazaribagh. In Godhra, Gujarat, the chairman and centre superintendent of Jay Jalaram School allegedly instructed selected candidates to leave unknown answers blank for NEET-UG 2024. The CBI also registered a case against Affinity Education Private Ltd, Noida, its directors, and others for allegedly manipulating the computer-based JEE (Main) 2021, where outside ‘solvers’ remotely accessed selected terminals. No reliable public record of a final trial outcome in the Affinity case was available up to August 2026.

Further reading

• NEET mock test 2027 PDFs available for download, includes solutions and answer keys
• NEET UG 2026 stray round result out: report to colleges by 26 October
• NEET admit card: release date and how to download Next step
• KCET registration 2027 to open tentatively in January, application fee details
• KEAM 2026: Apply for 84 MBBS, 106 BDS stray seats. CEE to announce dates
• NEET: complete exam guide

Written by Nishit Kumar

Nishit Kumar is a senior EdTech industry leader with over a decade of experience in building and scaling education platforms, shaping their product, content, and growth strategy. At FindMyCollege, Nishit oversees content and editorial strategy, guiding topic selection and content frameworks to ensure accuracy, relevance, and student-first value across the website.

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