Bihar: NEET UG conducted peacefully amid tight security, no reports of paper leaks

According to the Education Department, approximately 1.25 lakh candidates appeared for the examination in the state, which was organised by the National Testing Agency (NTA). In Patna alone, 74 examination centres, mostly in government institutions, were designated for the purpose. The Bapu Examination Centre in Kumhrar emerged as the largest centre, accommodating over 15,000 candidates.

The administrations of the districts where the examination was held have taken security measures, and guidelines have been strictly enforced. A three-layered security system was implemented across all centres. The administration also installed mobile jammers to block unauthorised communications. The candidates were only allowed to carry admit cards, pens, and transparent water bottles; no mobile phones, Bluetooth devices, or other electronics were permitted. The same rules applied to invigilators.

Students began arriving at 11:30 AM, were allowed entry between 12 PM and 1:30 PM, and the exam was conducted from 2 PM to 5 PM. The district magistrates and SPs of respective districts continuously visited all centres of their jurisdictions.

The successful execution of the exam comes a year after the NEET 2024 paper leak in Patna, which led to a major scandal. The case, initially probed by Patna Police, was later handed over to the Economic Offences Unit (EOU) and subsequently to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Over 30 individuals, including kingpin Sanjeev Mukhiya, were arrested. Mukhiya, apprehended recently from an apartment in Danapur, is currently in CBI remand and is reported to have revealed names of prominent political leaders and bureaucratic relatives allegedly linked to the racket.

The peaceful conduct of NEET UG 2025 has been hailed as a major administrative success, restoring public confidence in the integrity of national-level competitive exams in Bihar.