A brief commotion outside a NEET-UG re-test centre in Ahmedabad on Sunday forced police to intervene after parents objected to some candidates being asked to remove Hindu sacred threads during frisking while students wearing hijab were allowed to enter the venue.
The incident took place outside R. J. Tibrewal Commerce College in Vastrapur, one of 23 centres in Ahmedabad where around 10,445 candidates were scheduled to appear for the re-test. Police said the dispute stemmed from confusion over the National Testing Agency’s dress code and frisking rules, which were being enforced as part of heightened examination security.
Two persons associated with a Hindu organisation were taken to a police station after allegedly creating a disturbance near the centre. Assistant Commissioner of Police Jayesh Brahmbhatt said they were neither detained nor arrested and were released after officials explained the situation and the applicable examination guidelines.
The row began during the entry process when some students were reportedly asked to remove items such as kanthi, sacred threads and other accessories before being allowed into the premises. Some parents questioned why candidates wearing hijab had been permitted entry and demanded that all religious symbols and garments be treated uniformly under the exam-day protocol.
Members of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen and a Hindu organisation later gathered near the venue, briefly escalating tension outside the centre. Police personnel spoke to parents and representatives of the groups, explaining that examination staff were following prescribed screening procedures. The situation returned to normal and the test continued without disruption inside the centre.
The NEET-UG 2026 re-test was held from 2pm to 5.15pm, with an additional 15 minutes added to the earlier schedule. Candidates were required to complete entry and verification formalities well before the start of the paper. Across Gujarat, the examination was conducted at 211 centres under tight security arrangements, including identity checks, frisking and restrictions on items that candidates could carry inside.
The National Testing Agency had issued exam-day instructions covering admit cards, identification documents, dress code compliance, permitted items and biometric verification procedures. The advisory also warned candidates against carrying accessories or objects that could delay entry during security checks. Special protocols were put in place for candidates facing biometric verification issues, reflecting the additional scrutiny surrounding the re-test.
The Ahmedabad incident underscored the sensitivity of enforcing uniform security rules in a high-stakes examination where religious symbols, personal identity and anti-cheating measures intersect. Parents at the centre argued that students should not face unequal treatment at the gate, while officials maintained that staff were applying examination rules to prevent malpractice and ensure a secure testing environment.
NEET-UG is the entrance examination for undergraduate medical courses and draws more than two million aspirants nationally. The 2026 re-test was ordered after the May 3 examination was cancelled amid a probe into allegations of a question paper leak. That cancellation intensified public scrutiny of the examination system and placed additional pressure on authorities to show that the replacement test was conducted under stricter safeguards.
Security measures for the re-test were tightened across several cities. Police deployment, document checks, frisking, surveillance arrangements and controlled movement of examination material formed part of the wider effort to protect the integrity of the process. Authorities had also cautioned students and parents against rumours, fake alerts and social media messages claiming access to question papers or answer keys.
The National Testing Agency launched verified WhatsApp updates for candidates ahead of the re-test and warned aspirants to rely only on official communication channels. The measure followed complaints over fraudulent messages and confusion about admit cards, refunds and centre-related information in the days leading to the examination.
