NTA Orders NEET UG Re-Test for 1,800 UAE Students Amid Grading Dispute

More than 1,800 medical aspirants in the UAE are required to retake India’s National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET-UG) after the National Testing Agency (NTA) rescinded "grace marks" previously awarded to candidates. The decision, backed by the Indian Supreme Court, follows widespread allegations of grading irregularities and rank inflation that have affected thousands of students globally. Grace Marks Rescinded The NTA confirmed that the compensatory marks awarded to 1,563 candidates—including a significant number across testing centers in Dubai and Abu Dhabi—due to time loss during the May 5 exam will be scrapped. These students must now choose between sitting for a re-examination scheduled for June 23 or accepting their original scores without the added marks. The move aims to restore the integrity of the merit list after an unprecedented 67 students achieved perfect scores of 720, an anomaly that experts attributed to the grace mark policy. Impact on UAE Testing Centers The re-test mandate has created logistical challenges for over 1,800 students in the UAE. Educational consultants in Dubai report that many affected candidates had already finalized travel plans for the…