NEET-UG 2026 Registration Deadline Extended to March 11 Following Intervention by Minister Sakeena Itoo

JAMMU, MARCH 08: In a major relief for medical aspirants, the National Testing Agency (NTA) has officially extended the application deadline for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test [NEET (UG)] – 2026 until March 11, 2026.

According to the public notice, candidates now have until 9:00 PM on the closing date to submit their online forms, with the fee payment window remaining open until 11:50 PM.

This extension comes as a direct result of a formal request made by J&K Minister for Health and Medical Education, Sakeena Itoo, who wrote to Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on March 6. The Minister highlighted the significant hurdles faced by students in the Kashmir Valley, where recent internet restrictions aimed at maintaining law and order had made it nearly impossible for candidates to complete OTP verifications and final submissions.

Minister Sakeena Itoo expressed her gratitude to the Union Education Minister for his prompt response, noting that the three-day extension is crucial for ensuring that no student is unfairly disqualified due to technical or connectivity issues. Highlighting the challenges posed by reduced internet speeds, she emphasized that the government is committed to safeguarding the academic interests of all aspirants.

The Minister has now strongly advised students to utilize this additional time wisely and complete their registrations immediately to avoid the risk of last-minute technical glitches, as the NTA has clarified that no further extensions will be granted beyond the new March 11 cutoff.