NEET Re-Test Papers Airlifted by IAF Helicopters as Authorities Tighten Security After Leak Row

With just days left for the NEET-UG 2026 re-examination, authorities are leaving little to chance.

In Tamil Nadu’s Tirunelveli on Monday, residents stopped to watch an unusual sight overhead: an Indian Army helicopter circling the city before landing at the Armed Reserve Ground. The helicopter wasn’t part of a military exercise; it was there for a trial run linked to one of the country’s biggest entrance examinations.

A High-Stakes Trial Run in Tirunelveli

The landing was part of a security drill ahead of the June 21 NEET re-test, which is being conducted after last month’s examination was scrapped amid allegations that question papers had been leaked.

This time, officials are taking extraordinary measures to protect the papers from the moment they leave the printing centres until they reach examination halls. According to the plan being put in place, sealed question papers will first be flown from Delhi to regional locations by aircraft. In southern Tamil Nadu, the packets are expected to reach Madurai by air before being shifted to Tirunelveli by helicopter under tight security cover. The mock exercise conducted in Tirunelveli was meant to test whether the entire chain could work smoothly on exam day.

Nationwide Air Force Deployment for Paper Security

But this is not just a Tamil Nadu operation.

Across the country, the Indian Air Force has been tasked with transporting NEET re-test question papers to nearly 18 regional hubs. Officials say transport aircraft and Mi-17 helicopters are being used to move the highly sensitive material quickly while reducing the risk of interference during transit.

For remote regions and difficult terrain, helicopters will handle the final leg of the journey. The idea is simple: keep the papers moving, keep them secure, and minimise the number of points where they could potentially be compromised.

Authorities say every movement of the sealed packets will be monitored. Education officials, security agencies, and defence personnel are coordinating the operation, which is being described as one of the most tightly controlled logistics exercises ever undertaken for a national entrance examination.

The heightened precautions come after the controversy that forced the cancellation of the earlier NEET-UG exam, triggering anxiety among lakhs of students and parents.

Digital Crackdown: Telegram Facing Temporary Restrictions

The government has also turned its attention online.

Earlier, the National Testing Agency (NTA) announced temporary restrictions on Telegram in India until June 22. Officials argue that certain features on the platform were allegedly misused by organised cheating networks to circulate manipulated content and create false claims of question paper leaks after examinations.

In a separate move, Telegram has also been directed to disable message-editing functionality in India until June 30. According to the NTA, altering previously posted messages made it easier for fraudsters to falsely present old content as evidence of advance access to examination papers.

The agency has stressed that the restrictions are temporary and aimed specifically at protecting the integrity of the re-examination process.

Rebuilding Trust Ahead of June 21

Meanwhile, the NTA has urged candidates not to be distracted by rumours circulating online and to rely only on official announcements for updates related to the examination.

For students preparing to sit the exam again, the focus remains the same. For authorities, however, June 21 has become a test of something else entirely—whether confidence in one of India’s most important competitive examinations can be rebuilt after weeks of controversy.

Read More: Telegram App Banned In India Until June 22 Ahead Of NEET (UG) 2026 Re-Exam, Message Editing Disabled Till June 30