NEET 2026 Fee Refund Process Explained
The National Testing Agency launched a dedicated refund portal on May 21 for candidates affected by the cancellation of the NEET UG 2026 examination, which was scrapped following widespread allegations of a paper leak. The original exam, held on May 3, was cancelled after the controversy triggered nationwide outrage and a formal investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation.
The National Testing Agency launched a dedicated refund portal on May 21 for candidates affected by the cancellation of the NEET UG 2026 examination, which was scrapped following widespread allegations of a paper leak. The original exam, held on May 3, was cancelled after the controversy triggered nationwide outrage and a formal investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation. The re-examination is now scheduled for June 21, 2026, from 2:00 PM to 5:15 PM, with no additional fee required from any candidate.
The refund portal is now live and candidates can submit their bank details to initiate the refund process. Candidates will be required to carefully enter their bank details including account holder name, account number, IFSC code, and bank name to ensure smooth processing. The NTA has clarified that payment gateway and bank transaction charges will not be included in the refund amount.
On the examination front, the NTA has confirmed that candidates will not be permitted to change the medium of examination selected during the original application process. City preferences will also remain unchanged, with examination centres to be allotted randomly based on cities already chosen by candidates in their application forms. The agency has acknowledged that some students faced issues with city availability, attributing the problem to language-based constraints at certain centres. NEET 2026 Fee Refund: What Students Should Know About NTA Rules.
The controversy has also reached Parliament, with a parliamentary panel summoning NTA officials to review reforms in the wake of the paper leak episode. NTA Director General Abhishek Singh has assured that the investigation will remain impartial and that all individuals involved in the leak will be identified regardless of their connection to the organisation. NTA Chairperson Pradeep Kumar Joshi and other senior officials appeared before the panel on May 21 for deliberations. Students with complaints or queries can reach out through the official helpdesk at neetug2026@nta.ac.in. NEET 2026 Exam Date: New Schedule Announced by NTA After Paper Leak Row.
NEET UG 2026 Refund Amount by Category
| Category | Refund Amount |
|---|---|
| General | INR 1,700 |
| OBC and EWS | INR 1,600 |
| SC, ST and PwD | INR 1,000 |
| NRI | INR 9,500 |
How to Claim NEET UG 2026 Refund
- Visit the official NTA refund portal at nta.ac.in.
- Log in using your NEET UG 2026 application credentials.
- Enter your bank account details accurately - account holder name, account number, IFSC code, and bank name.
- Double-check all details before submission as errors may delay your refund.
- Note that payment gateway and bank charges will not be refunded.
- Medium of examination and city preferences cannot be changed at this stage.
- For queries, email the official NTA helpdesk at neetug2026@nta.ac.in.
With the NEET UG 2026 refund portal now live as of May 21, affected candidates should log in at the earliest, submit accurate bank details, and complete the refund claim process without delay. With the re-examination confirmed for June 21, students must now shift their focus to preparation while staying updated exclusively through official NTA channels. The authorities owe it to every affected student to ensure both the refund process and the re-examination are handled with complete transparency and zero irregularities.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 22, 2026 08:16 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).