A political dispute is brewing around the upcoming retest of the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), after the exam was cancelled in May over an alleged paper leak. K Annamalai, a BJP leader, and the BJP are reported to be sparring over claims described as “militarisation” in connection with the retest. The controversy centers on how security and administrative arrangements are being handled for the NEET retest, following widespread attention on the original cancellation. The May decision affects a major undergraduate medical entrance exam that attracts millions of candidates across India. While the sources indicate that officials are putting measures in place for the retest after the leak allegations, the political messaging around those measures has become a flashpoint, with accusations and counter-accusations framed in terms of whether the steps amount to unnecessary escalation. The issue is therefore both procedural—relating to the retest after cancellation—and political, involving competing characterisations of the security posture and its implications for candidates.