NEET-PG 2026: Technical glitches mar exam at two Jaipur centres; students protest
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The National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences has rescheduled the NEET-PG 2026 exam for affected candidates in Jaipur to September 5 following persistent power outages and technical glitches. The decision follows reports of widespread system failures at two iON Digital Zone centres in Sitapura.
NEET-PG 2026: Technical Disruptions and Rescheduling in Jaipur
The National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) has officially announced that the NEET-PG 2026 examination for candidates at the iON Digital Zone in Sitapura, Jaipur, will be held on September 5. This decision serves as a direct response to severe technical failures and power outages that plagued the examination process on August 30, 2026.
The Anatomy of the Technical Failure
On the day of the examination, students faced significant disruptions that compromised the integrity of the testing environment. Reports indicate that the examination, originally scheduled to commence at 9 am, suffered from delayed starts followed by repeated system shutdowns. Candidates at the affected centres reported their computer systems crashing as frequently as six to seven times, if not more, throughout the duration of the test, leading to widespread protests and chaos among the aspirant population.
Administrative and Logistical Response
Local authorities, including ADM Narendra Verma, intervened to assess the nature of the technical failure. The root cause was identified as an internal power failure at the iON Digital Zone facilities in Sitapura. In response to the outcry and the inability of students to complete the examination under fair conditions, the NBEMS issued a formal notification rescheduling the test for these specific individuals to September 5 at 3 pm.
Broader Context of the Examination
While the situation in Jaipur was critical, the NBEMS confirmed that the NEET-PG 2026 examination proceeded successfully across the rest of the country. Over 2.6 lakh candidates participated in the process, which was distributed across 1,111 designated centres nationwide. This discrepancy highlights the logistical complexity of managing a large-scale national examination and the vulnerability of digital testing infrastructure to localized utility failures.
Implications and Future Trends
This incident underscores the ongoing challenges faced by testing agencies in ensuring a seamless digital experience. As national entrance exams increasingly rely on centralized digital zones, power stability and hardware reliability become the primary pillars of exam integrity. The public discourse, reflected by thousands of users sharing their opinions on the decision, highlights the tension between maintaining strict schedules and ensuring a level playing field for every candidate.
Conclusion
The rescheduling of the NEET-PG 2026 for the affected Jaipur candidates is a necessary corrective measure to preserve the validity of the national merit list. By limiting the re-examination to only those impacted by the power failures, the NBEMS aims to normalize the testing process while acknowledging the significant distress caused by the technical shortcomings at the Sitapura centres.
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