Forty-eight percent of students scheduled for the NEET-UG retest did not show up, according to a statement from the National Testing Agency (NTA). Following a Supreme Court order, 1,563 students who received grace marks were eligible for the retest. Of these, only 813 students (52%) attended, while 750 were absent, the NTA reported. Seven exam centers were set up in Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Haryana, Meghalaya, and Chandigarh.

Here's the breakdown of attendance by location:

• Chandigarh: 2 eligible, both absent.
• Chhattisgarh: 602 eligible, 311 absent, 291 took the retest.
• Gujarat: 1 eligible, and the student attended.
• Haryana: 494 eligible, 207 absent, 287 took the retest.
• Meghalaya: 464 eligible, 230 absent, 234 took the retest.

The retest occurred on the same day the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) filed a First Information Report (FIR) regarding alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG exam held on May 5. The CBI took this action following a complaint from the Education Ministry amid student protests and legal actions over claims of a paper leak.

The ministry's complaint, now part of the FIR, mentioned "certain isolated incidents" in a few states during the exam. The CBI, prioritizing the investigation, has formed special teams heading to Godhra and Patna, where police had reported question paper leaks. The CBI will take over these cases and investigate the broader conspiracy and potential involvement of officials in the exam's conduct.

In another development, the Supreme Court requested responses from the Centre, the NTA, and other parties on petitions calling for the cancellation of the NEET-UG 2024 exam and a court-monitored investigation. The Supreme Court also paused proceedings on similar petitions in various high courts.