NEET UG 2026 - NTA Extends Exam Duration, Issues New Guidelines

The National Testing Agency (NTA) has announced significant changes for the NEET UG 2026 examination scheduled for June 21. To make the examination more transparent, secure, and student-friendly, the agency has extended the total exam duration to 195 minutes. The test will be conducted from 2:00 PM to 5:15 PM. According to NTA, the additional time has been provided to ensure that administrative procedures such as attendance verification and document signing do not reduce the actual writing time available to candidates.

The agency has also increased the number of rough work pages in the question booklet from two to four. Based on feedback from students, especially left-handed candidates, the booklet layout has been revised. Two rough pages will now be placed at the beginning of the booklet and two at the end. These changes will apply to question papers in English as well as all regional languages. NTA has advised candidates to carefully review the updated guidelines before appearing for the examination.