New Delhi, April 26 -- Medical students have been barred from taking leave on May 2 and 3 to prevent them from appearing as proxy candidates in the NEET-UG 2026 examination scheduled for May 3 - a practice flagged in past editions of the test. The National Medical Commission (NMC) has advised all medical colleges not to grant leave on those days barring "exceptional circumstances with due justification," acting on a direction from the department of higher education (DoHE) under the Union ministry of education. On April 20, DoHE secretary Vineet Joshi wrote to Union health ministry secretary Punya Salila Srivastava, urging vigilance. He also recommended denying leave on May 2-3 except in justified cases. "In view of certain instances reported in the past. all medical colleges shall remain vigilant and ensure that medical students are sensitised against any involvement in activities prejudicial to the conduct of the examination," NMC secretary Dr Raghav Langer said in a notice dated April 23. P4...