Srinagar, May 29, 2026 : People’s Democratic Party (PDP) leader Iltija Mufti on Friday strongly criticised the Centre over reports that the government is considering using Indian Air Force (IAF) aircraft to transport NEET-UG question papers for the upcoming re-examination scheduled on June 21.
Calling the move a reflection of “corruption, incompetence and ineptitude,” Iltija said the development exposed the failure of authorities to conduct national-level examinations transparently and securely.
“Now Air Force planes will transport NEET papers. Imagine the sheer level of corruption, incompetence and ineptitude. But as long as Muslims become lynch bait, click bait and rage bait, general public is happy!” Iltija Mufti said in a post shared on X.
The remarks came after reports emerged that the option of deploying Indian Air Force aircraft for secure transportation of NEET-UG examination papers was discussed during a high-level meeting chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in New Delhi on Thursday.
The meeting was attended by Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, along with senior officials concerned with the examination process and security arrangements.
Sources said the proposal was discussed as part of efforts to ensure foolproof conduct of the NEET-UG retest following the massive controversy surrounding the alleged paper leak in the earlier examination.
However, officials indicated that no final decision has been taken so far, and the proposal may be placed before Prime Minister Narendra Modi for final consideration.
The National Testing Agency (NTA) had cancelled the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (Undergraduate) conducted on May 3 after allegations of question paper leaks and irregularities surfaced from multiple states.
Following widespread protests and mounting pressure, authorities announced that the re-examination would now be conducted on June 21 under enhanced security arrangements.
The alleged NEET paper leak case is currently being investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
The controversy surrounding the examination has triggered nationwide debate over transparency, accountability and the integrity of competitive examinations conducted for medical admissions across the country.
