SHILLONG, MAY 13: The Hynniewtrep Youths’ Council (HYC) has submitted a representation to the National Testing Agency seeking reconsideration of the blanket cancellation of NEET UG 2026, and has demanded exemption for candidates from Meghalaya and the North Eastern Region.
In a letter to NTA Director General, HYC expressed deep concern and disappointment over the decision to cancel the NEET UG 2026 examination across the country following reports of alleged irregularities and paper leaks in certain regions.
“While we fully support strict action against any malpractice or compromise of the integrity of national examinations, we respectfully submit that a blanket cancellation of the examination has caused immense hardship, uncertainty, mental distress and financial burden upon thousands of genuine students from Meghalaya and the North Eastern Region who appeared for the examination fairly and honestly,” the council said.
Highlighting regional challenges, HYC stated that “Meghalaya is geographically remote and economically disadvantaged compared to many mainland regions of the country,” with students often traveling “long distances under difficult terrain and incur significant expenses merely to access examination centres and educational opportunities.”
It added that a large number of students “belong to economically weaker families, rural backgrounds and indigenous tribal communities,” and for many of them, “NEET represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to pursue medical education and uplift their families and communities.”
The council pointed out that there have been no credible reports, complaints or findings indicating leakage of question papers, organised malpractice or examination compromise in Meghalaya and North Eastern Region examination centres.
“Students from Meghalaya and North Eastern Region should not be made to suffer for alleged irregularities occurring elsewhere in the country when there is no evidence suggesting any compromise of the examination process within the State,” the representation said.
HYC argued that re-conducting the examination would impose severe financial, logistical and psychological hardship upon students and parents from Meghalaya, many of whom had already exhausted substantial resources for travel, accommodation, coaching and examination preparation.
It added that the uncertainty “disproportionately affects students from remote and underrepresented regions like Meghalaya where access to coaching facilities, digital resources and academic infrastructure is already limited.”
The council urged NTA to reconsider the blanket cancellation and “exempt Meghalaya and North Eastern Region candidates from any proposed re-examination in the absence of any proven irregularity within the State and the Region.”
As an alternative, it asked NTA to “adopt a region-specific approach instead of a nationwide cancellation where no malpractice has been detected” to “protect the interests, future and mental well-being of innocent students who have prepared sincerely and appeared honestly for the examination.”
“The HYC firmly believes that while maintaining the sanctity of national examinations is essential, justice and fairness equally require that innocent students from remote tribal regions should not be punished for circumstances beyond their control,” the letter said, requesting “immediate intervention and compassionate reconsideration in the interest of fairness, equity and justice.”
By Our Reporter
