NTA Extends NEET UG 2026 Exam to 195 Minutes Adds Rough Work

The National Testing Agency announced a series of changes on Friday for the rescheduled NEET UG 2026 examination, extending the test duration and redesigning the question booklet to improve the experience for candidates. The medical entrance exam is scheduled to be held on June 21.

The examination window has been extended to 195 minutes, running from 2:00 p.m. to 5:15 p.m. The agency stated that this 15-minute increase is designed to accommodate invigilation formalities at the start and end of the exam, such as signing requirements, which candidates had previously felt reduced their effective working time. The NTA said this ensures the time available for the examination is fully protected.

In a second major change, the number of pages provided for rough work in the question booklet has been doubled from two to four. Furthermore, the placement of these pages has been redesigned. Previously available only at the end of the booklet, two rough-work pages will now be positioned immediately after the instruction page at the beginning, with the remaining two at the end. The agency noted this layout is especially helpful for left-handed candidates, who constitute nearly 10 percent of...