Aspirants search their roll number for seats allotted to them before entering an examination center to appear for the NEET UG 2026 re-exam at the center, in Patna on Sunday. (ANI Photo)As hundreds of anxious parents waited outside Rajarshi Shahu College in Latur on Sunday, spontaneous applause erupted when candidates of Re-NEET began emerging from the examination centre. For many, the re-examination marked an attempt to restore confidence in a system shaken by the paper leak controversy.Parents and students said that while the ordeal had forced thousands to prepare all over again, the re-test was necessary to ensure a fair playing field and prevent inflated scores from pushing medical college cut-offs beyond the reach of deserving candidates.One of the candidates, Insha Inamdar, a resident of Latur, said she was glad that the re-test was conducted. “The difficulty level of this paper was slightly higher than that of the previous NEET examination. But it was not very difficult to solve. The Physics section was lengthy, just like last time. However, I am happy that I got enough time to complete it, unlike the first NEET examination held in May,” she said.The emotions ran particularly high in Latur, which found itself at the centre of the NEET paper leak controversy after allegations emerged regarding the involvement of a prominent coaching institute owner from the city. The episode cast a shadow over Latur’s reputation as one of Maharashtra’s leading hubs for medical entrance exam preparation and left thousands of students grappling with uncertainty about the fairness of the admission process.Vedika Pokharkar, a NEET candidate who moved to Latur from Pune, said, “Had there been no re-NEET, the scores would have been inflated, pushing the cut-off higher. All of this would have benefited those who had access to the leaked questions, and that would have been unfair.” The Pokharkar family chose to enrol Vedika in a coaching institute in Latur because of the city’s reputed and affordable coaching facilities.Like Vedika, Shrikant Akuskar from Ambejogai in Beed district also moved to Latur three years ago. “This was supposed to be my second attempt at NEET, but because of the paper-leak controversy, it effectively became a third. I hope this will be my last attempt,” he said.Parents of thousands of students studying in Latur’s coaching ecosystem had flocked to the city from various parts of rural Maharashtra to support their children for another attempt at NEET.Story continues below this adMany waited outside examination centres in the scorching heat, with nowhere else to spend the three hours during which their children were writing the test. “But all of this will be worth it if I see a smile on my daughter’s face when she comes out of the examination centre,” said Dayanand Bhute, a farmer from Ekurga village in Latur district. He was waiting outside Dayanand College in Latur, one of the Re-NEET test centers.Outside the same centre, Ranjana Mane, the aunt of NEET candidate Kartik Mohite, spoke about travelling to Latur from a nearby village as his farmer parents, who live in Parli in Beed district, were unable to make the trip on Sunday. “Kartik stays alone in a hostel while preparing for NEET.But since today is his examination day, I felt that a family member should be present to support him. So, I came here along with my son, who is still in Class 9. I want him to learn from Kartik’s sincerity and dedication towards education,” she said.Following explicit directives from the Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for stricter vigil and special monitoring at exam-centres in Latur and Pune, there were stringent security measures in place in Latur on Sunday. Latur’s Collector Bharat Bastewad was personally making rounds to big exam centres to verify arrangements. “I, along with the Superintendent of Police, have been continuously on the field to ensure that there is no issue. We are glad that children appeared for the retest with the same motivation,” he said.Pallavi Smart is a Principal Correspondent with The Indian Express, Mumbai Bureau. Her reporting is singularly focused on the education sector, demonstrating exceptional Expertise and Authority across the entire spectrum of learning, from foundational schooling to advanced higher education. She is a highly Trustworthy source for policy, institutional developments, and systemic issues affecting students, teachers, and parents in Maharashtra. Expertise Senior Role: As a Principal Correspondent at The Indian Express, her designation reflects her seniority, specialized knowledge, and the editorial rigor applied to her reporting. Core Authority & Specialization: Pallavi Smart is the definitive voice for Education news in the region. Her coverage scope is comprehensive: Policy and Regulatory Changes: Reports on major shifts in educational policy, including the restructuring of entrance exams (e.g., MHT-CET adopting the JEE Main model), the draft regulatory framework for coaching classes, and revised teacher recruitment processes. Higher Education Institutions (HEIs): Provides in-depth reporting on prestigious institutes like IIT Bombay and TISS (Tata Institute of Social Sciences), covering institutional initiatives, administrative debates (e.g., renaming IIT Bombay), and student welfare programs (e.g., mandatory mental health courses). Teachers and Eligibility: Covers crucial issues affecting the teaching fraternity, such as the mandatory Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) for in-service teachers and related controversies and application numbers. Student Welfare & Rights: Focuses on issues concerning students, including the rollout of government scholarships, the financial strain on schools due to midday meal reimbursement delays, and instances of child rights violations (e.g., the Powai studio hostage crisis). Admissions and Vacancy: Tracks the outcome of centralized admission processes (e.g., MBBS, BPharm) and analyzes vacancy concerns, providing essential data-driven insights for parents and students. Credentials & Trustworthiness Dedicated Beat: Her consistent focus on the "KG to PG" education beat allows her to develop unparalleled subject matter knowledge, ensuring her reports are accurate, detailed, and contextualized. Proactive Reporting: Her articles frequently break news on policy and institutional planning, providing the public with timely, essential information about a sector that directly impacts millions of families. She tweets @Pallavi_Smart ... Read More Tags:NEET