Patna: The NEET-UG 2026 re-examination on Sunday left many aspirants and their families exhausted with candidates describing the paper as tougher than the cancelled examination and subject experts saying the physics and chemistry sections were among the most challenging seen in recent years.Across centres in Patna and other districts, students emerged with mixed reactions after weeks of uncertainty, renewed preparation and additional financial burden. The common complaint was the increased difficulty level of physics.“The first paper was easier. Physics was much more difficult this time and the questions were trickier. We had already put in so much effort the first time. I am not sure how this one went,” said Sakshi Priyadarshi.Outside examination centres, parents waited for hours in temperatures exceeding 40°C. Many spoke about the financial and emotional strain of appearing for the examination a second time.“We spent nearly Rs 2,000 on trains and local transport. My daughter was so stressed that she didn’t eat before the exam. How could I eat when she hadn’t?” said Bebi Devi from Siwan.Dhananjay Prasad from Sitamarhi said, “Whatever the result, the bigger issue is that the entire academic schedule will now get delayed.”“Sleep schedules were disrupted. We forgot about eating properly. The stress of preparing all over again has been immense,” said Shambhu Yadav, whose daughter appeared for NEET for the third time.At a centre in Motihari, Archie Srivastava said poorly functioning fans added to the difficulties faced by candidates. For Nandini Kumari from Siwan, however, the re-test offered another opportunity. “I lost my chance despite preparing for months. This exam gave me another opportunity to prove myself,” she said.Subject experts largely agreed with the students’ assessment. Balram Kumar Singh, biology teacher at DAV Public School, BSEB Colony, said the overall difficulty level was higher than recent editions.“Physics was extremely lengthy and calculation-based. Students had to spend a lot of time solving questions, which affected their overall time management during the examination. The difficulty level was even higher than what students generally expect in NEET,” Singh said.He added, “Biology was well-structured and student-friendly. Most candidates I interacted with performed well in the subject. The questions were straightforward and based largely on concepts students are familiar with.”Manjeet Kumar, chemistry teacher at Loyola High School, said the chemistry section ranged from moderate to difficult and was tougher than the examination held earlier this year.“Organic chemistry had a significant presence, and several questions were conceptual in nature. The numerical problems were lengthy and calculation-intensive, making the section time-consuming,” Kumar said.He added, “At least 6-7 questions appeared to be slightly above the standard NCERT level, while the rest were directly based on NCERT concepts.”Physics teacher Anand Kumar Jha said, “Physics was both tougher and lengthier than the previous session because the questions required application of concepts rather than direct use of formulas.”“Many questions were application-based and required students to connect multiple concepts. Instead of simply recalling formulas, candidates had to analyse problems and apply their knowledge in unfamiliar situations. The calculations were also lengthy, which increased the difficulty level,” Jha said.Based on student feedback, Jha estimated that the physics section was 10-15% more difficult than the previous session.
