CBI lodges FIR; students livid, Oppn hits out at govt
NEW DELHI, MAY 12 (PTI): The NEET (UG) 2026 exam held on May 3 was cancelled on Tuesday amid allegations of paper leak with the CBI registering an FIR after the government asked it to carry out a comprehensive inquiry into the “irregularities”.
The National Testing Agency (NTA), which conducts the exam for admission to undergraduate courses in medical colleges, said fresh dates will be notified in the “next seven to 10 days”.
The cancellation triggered nationwide outrage among medical aspirants, with students raising questions on NTA’s competence and demanding that exam be conducted by AIIMS-Delhi. The day also saw protests by activists of NSUI, SFI and other organisations at several places.
Though Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan did not respond to media queries on the cancellation, NTA said this is a matter of concern for the children, for their parents, and for the entire ecosystem.
NEET-UG 2026 was held on May 3 across 551 cities in India and 14 cities abroad. NTA organised the examination for nearly 23 lakh registered candidates at centres across the country.
Oppn attacks govt: Opposition leaders on Tuesday attacked the government after the cancellation of the NEET-UG examination, alleging administrative failure and insensitivity toward students, and also slammed the “repeated lapses” in the conduct of national-level competitive examinations.
Several opposition leaders took to X questioning the functioning of NTA and demanding accountability over the recurring controversies surrounding entrance tests.
NEET-UG 2026 paper leak controversy reportedly began in Rajasthan after a “guess paper” circulated among students and coaching networks before the May 3 examination was found to contain more than 100 questions matching the actual exam paper.
Investigators later discovered that the material had allegedly spread from a medical student originally from Churu, Rajasthan, who was studying in Kerala. The paper reportedly circulated through coaching groups, hostels, Telegram channels and career counsellors across several states.
According to reports, more than 20 people were initially detained by Rajasthan SOG for questioning, including some former Rajasthan Public Service Commission officials. Later investigations revealed a wider network of at least 45 suspects operating across several states. Several arrests have already been made. In Dehradun, investigators arrested an alleged mastermind identified as a Sikar-based career counsellor. Four NEET aspirants were also arrested from Uttarakhand and brought to Rajasthan for questioning.
Rajasthan Police Special Operations Group first launched the investigation after receiving complaints about the suspicious question set. The probe later expanded to Uttarakhand, Maharashtra, Bihar and other states as authorities uncovered what they described as a large multi-state network involved in the alleged leak.
In Maharashtra’s Nashik, a medical student was arrested for allegedly helping circulate the leaked material. Bihar Police also arrested three people linked to the case. Reports further stated that at least 13 suspects remain in SOG custody while many others are under investigation.
The future of nearly 23 aspirants is in jeopardy following the cancellation and controversy surrounding NEET UG 2026 exam.