• Source:JND

NEET Paper Leak Row: The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) has been in the news for the last couple of days for again a wrong reason, a paper leak. On Tuesday, the authority swung into action and made several important announcements, including the cancellation of the May 3 examination. The entire row reminded of the 2024 paper leak incident, after which several measures were taken to ensure foolproof examinations, but after two years, the NTA went back to square one.

'Mastermind' Arrested As CBI Probe Expands To Three States

A man identified as Manish Yadav, believed to be the mastermind behind the paper leak, was arrested from Jaipur on Tuesday. Yadav had obtained information about potential questions before the question paper was printed. A joint investigation by the Rajasthan Special Investigation Group (SOG), Central investigative agencies, and police from other states launched a joint probe in the state.

 ALSO READ: NEET-UG 2026 Paper Leak Row: CBI Registers FIR, Carries Out Multi-City Raids | Key Updates

One Arrested From Nashik

Earlier in the day, crime branch unit 2 of Nashik Police detained Shubham Khairnar (30), resident of Nandgaon in the district, following a request from Rajasthan Police. He was picked up from the Indiranagar area of the city, said Deputy Commissioner of Police Kirankumar Chauhan. Later, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the evening took into its custody a person from Nashik.

NEET 'Solver Gang' Busted In Bihar

A NEET solver gang was busted in Bihar's Nalanda. According to Sunil Kumar Singh, DSP, Rajgir,
when police were conducting vehicle checks, they identified two vehicles that appeared suspicious, which led to arrest of three persons.

"We stopped the vehicles and proceeded to question the occupants. One individual identified himself as a second-year MBBS student. Upon searching the vehicle, we discovered bundles of currency notes. When questioned about the money, he claimed it amounted to Rs 2 lakh. We took him along with the vehicle to the police station. There were a total of three individuals; all three were taken into custody at the station."

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"The 'solvers' (proxy examinees) were unable to reach the examination centres, where the actual candidates were waiting for them. We had also deployed our own personnel at these locations, and the police force remained on high alert across the entire region. As a result, the solvers failed to gain access to the examination centres," he added.

NTA Releases Statement

Meanwhile, the National Testing Agency released a statement, saying the NEET (UG) 2026 was conducted under a "full security protocol" and that it is working closely with investigating agencies amid reports of alleged irregularities being probed by the Rajasthan SOG.

In a post on X on Sunday, the NTA said question papers were transported in GPS-tracked vehicles carrying unique, traceable watermark identifiers, while examination centres were monitored through AI-assisted CCTV surveillance from a central control room.

The agency said biometric verification of all candidates was conducted, and 5G jammers were deployed at centres to ensure the sanctity of the examination. "The examination process itself proceeded as planned across all centres on the day," the NTA said.

No Fees And Refund

The NTA said there would be no fee for the re-examination. The testing agency will bear the entire cost of the re-examination. In fact, the NTA will refund fees collected from students.

Games With The Lives Of Lakhs Of Students: Khan Sir On Paper Leak

Educator Khan Sir said this was nothing short of playing games with the lives of lakhs of students. Their confidence is being shattered, and the most unfortunate part of this whole situation is that just two years ago, in 2024, the exact same incidents occurred, he reminded.

ALSO READ: 'Crime Against Future Of Youth': Rahul Gandhi's Scathing Attack On Govt Over NEET UG Cancellation

"A CBI inquiry was conducted, yet it yielded absolutely no results. The most astonishing thing is that no government agency detected or reported this paper leak; rather, it was the students themselves who were the first to alert the government to the situation," the educator added.

What happens Next?

The cancellation of NEET-UG 2026 has left over 22 lakh medical aspirants and their families anxious about the next steps, including the fresh examination date, admit cards, examination centres and the counselling timeline. The fresh dates have not yet been announced.

Political Outrage As Oppn Attacks Govt

Amid a chaotic situation for the lakhs of students, the Opposition opened front against the government. Congress leader and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi launched a scathing attack on the Central government, claiming that the prestigious medical entrance test has been turned into an "auction" where the futures of millions of students are being sold in the "marketplace." Gandhi highlighted a recurring pattern of paper leaks over the past decade, claiming 89 paper leaks, 48 re-exams.

(With Agencies Inputs)


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