Over 22 lakh aspirants are now awaiting fresh exam dates as the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probes the matter.
CENTRE CANCELS NEET-UG 2026
The National Testing Agency (NTA) announced that the NEET-UG 2026 examination conducted on May 3 has been cancelled. Fresh dates for the re-exam are expected to be announced within seven to ten days.
NTA Director General Abhishek Singh said the decision was taken after preliminary verification found substance in allegations of a paper leak following a whistleblower complaint received on May 7.
WHAT THE PROBE HAS REVEALED SO FAR
According to the NTA DG, investigators found that some questions circulating before the examination matched the actual paper. He said the integrity of the examination process had been compromised, making it unfair for sincere students.
The CBI has now taken over the probe and registered an FIR under provisions related to criminal conspiracy, cheating, criminal breach of trust, theft, destruction of evidence, the Prevention of Corruption Act, and the Public Examination Prevention of Unfair Means Act, 2024.
NASHIK-GURUGRAM LEAK ANGLE EMERGES
Investigators suspect a physical copy of the NEET paper was leaked from a printing press in Nashik and allegedly brought to a doctor in Gurugram. Police sources said the matter remains under investigation.
Rajasthan Police’s Special Operations Group (SOG) had earlier claimed that a “guess paper” circulated before the exam had around 120 questions matching the actual paper.
STUDENT PROTESTS AND POLITICAL ROW
The cancellation triggered protests by student organisations, including SFI and NSUI, with demonstrators questioning the credibility of the NTA.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accused the BJP government of being a “partner in the theft” of students’ futures and questioned the handling of the exam system.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi, AAP leaders Manish Sisodia and Saurabh Bharadwaj, and Congress leader Sachin Pilot also attacked the Centre over repeated exam irregularities and demanded strict action.
COACHING EXPERTS CALL FOR REFORMS
Education leaders, including PhysicsWallah founder Alakh Pandey, ALLEN Career Institute CEO Nitin Kukreja, Super 30 founder Anand Kumar, and educator Khan Sir, urged strict punishment for those involved and demanded reforms to restore trust in the examination system.
The NEET-UG exam was conducted across 551 Indian cities and 14 international cities, covering more than 5,400 centres.
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