Chandigarh, June 18 -- As 3,048 candidates prepare for a second attempt at NEET-UG on Sunday, Chandigarh has set up seven examination centres with a two-layer security apparatus, including Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) deployment, a first for any NEET exam in the tricity. Of the total candidates who have registered, 2,864 had appeared in the original test while 184 are fresh registrations. The re-examination follows the cancellation of the NEET-UG 2026 examination, held on May 3 for over 22.7 lakh aspirants, which was scrapped on May 12 after investigations revealed significant overlaps between a pre-circulated guess paper and the actual question paper. Rajasthan Police's special operations group launched a probe that led to multiple arrests, and the Central Bureau of Investigation was also brought in. The cancellation sent ripples through the tricity's student community, along with the rest of the country. Many aspirants who had come to Chandigarh and the surrounding areas for coaching reportedly left for their hometowns in the immediate aftermath, unable to sustain the uncertainty. Local coaching centres stepped in to fill the gap, offering free test series and counselling sessions to help students cope with the disruption and stay on track for the re-examination. To prevent any repeat, the administration has put multi-tier checks in place. CAPF personnel will be deployed at all seven centres alongside duty magistrates. A National Testing Agency (NTA) observer has been assigned to each centre, and the respective school principal will serve as the central superintendent, ensuring institutional accountability at the ground level. City coordinator Virender Singh, principal of Kendriya Vidyalaya, Sector 47, said the checklist for all minimum requirements at each centre has been verified. UT additional deputy commissioner Amandeep Singh Bhatti said the administration was strictly adhering to ministry guidelines. "All protocols are fully aligned with the directions issued by the ministry. We have been clearly told there is no room for any local-level deviation," he said. Nationally, the NTA has pulled out all stops for the re-exam. Paramilitary forces as well as the Indian Air Force are being used for logistics and security - the highest level of deployment in the agency's history. The measures include 100% closed-circuit television (CCTV) surveillance and GPS tracking of question paper consignments. On the digital front, action was taken against over 200 Telegram channels found to be circulating altered question papers and other fraudulent content, with a temporary ban on the platform imposed till June 22. The exam duration has also been extended by 15 minutes, taking the total duration to 195 months, to accommodate mandatory administrative procedures such as attendanceverification and invigilator instructions....