The NEET-UG 2026 exam was cancelled across India after a suspected paper leak, with the NTA arranging a fresh date and the CBI leading the investigation. The episode has intensified political debate and raised concerns about examination governance and fairness for millions of medical aspirants.
India
-Swastika Sruti
NEET-UG 2026 has been cancelled across India following fresh allegations of a paper leak. The National Testing Agency (NTA) scrapped the May 3 examination, which was attended by around 22.79 lakh candidates. NTA Director General Abhishek Singh accepted responsibility for the irregularities and said the examination would be conducted again, with a fresh date expected to be announced within six to eight days. The Centre has also ordered a CBI investigation into the matter.
The National Testing Agency (NTA) cancelled the NEET-UG 2026 examination, attended by 22.79 lakh students on May 3, due to paper leak allegations, prompting a CBI investigation and drawing criticism from politicians like Rahul Gandhi linking it to previous exam issues.
The cancellation has sparked anger among students and intensified political confrontation. Opposition parties have accused the Union government of mishandling repeated complaints related to NEET-UG. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has already registered an FIR in the 2026 paper leak case. Protests have begun in several coaching hubs, while many students fear further academic delays. Questions are once again being raised about fairness and transparency in national-level entrance examinations.
देश के युवाओं के सामने एक गंभीर बात रखना चाहता हूँ।
एक काम कीजिए – खुद Google कीजिए: “NEET 2024 की भयंकर चोरी के दौरान NTA का DG कौन था, और मोदी सरकार ने उसे आज कहां बैठाया है?”
देखा? समझ आया?
BJP इसी तरह आप जैसे लाखों मेहनती विद्यार्थियों के भविष्य से खिलवाड़ करने वालों को…
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) May 12, 2026
NEET Paper Leak 2026: Rahul Gandhi’s Attack And Concerns Of Youth
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has linked the current NEET Paper Leak 2026 controversy with earlier allegations surrounding NEET 2024. Rahul Gandhi accused the government of protecting officials who supervised NEET 2024 despite serious allegations.
Posting on X, Rahul Gandhi targeted the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He urged students to check for themselves who held senior positions during the earlier controversy and where those officials are currently posted.
Rahul Gandhi alleged that NEET had turned from an examination into something more questionable. Referring to the controversy, he wrote:
Do one thing—search it yourself on Google: “Who was the DG of NTA during the horrific NEET 2024 scam, and where has the Modi government seated him today?”
Rahul Gandhi further described NEET as “not an examination, but an auction” and alleged that those playing with students’ futures were being rewarded.
What Rahul Gandhi Posted On X
Rahul Gandhi shared a detailed message aimed at young students regarding the NEET Paper Leak 2026 issue. In his post, he wrote:
“I want to place a serious matter before the youth of the country. Do one thing — Google this yourself: ‘Who was the NTA DG during the massive NEET 2024 leak, and where has the Modi government placed him today?’ Understood now? This is how the BJP rewards people who play with the future of lakhs of hardworking students…”
The post further intensified the political debate around examination governance and accountability.
Who Is IAS Officer Subodh Kumar Singh?
The NEET Paper Leak 2026 controversy has once again brought IAS officer Subodh Kumar Singh into focus.
Subodh Kumar Singh is a 1997-batch IAS officer from the Chhattisgarh cadre and originally belongs to Uttar Pradesh. He studied B.E. and M.E. engineering courses at IIT Roorkee and later completed an MBA from IGNOU.
Over the last 25 years, he has held several important positions in both state and central governments.
In Chhattisgarh, he served in the Chief Minister’s Office during Raman Singh’s tenure, headed the state power utility as Managing Director, and worked in departments related to mineral resources and industry.
At the Centre, he worked as Additional Secretary in the Department of Food and Public Distribution before returning to key roles in Chhattisgarh.
Subodh Kumar Singh’s Role During NEET 2024
Subodh Kumar Singh was serving as Director General of the NTA during the NEET 2024 controversy.
Following massive criticism and public outrage in June 2024, the government removed him from the post. He was later appointed Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Steel.
Around December 2024, he returned to Chhattisgarh and became Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai.
He has also received national awards for MGNREGA implementation in 2002 and digital transparency in mineral auctions in 2019.
What Happened During NEET 2024?
The NEET Paper Leak 2026 controversy has revived memories of the NEET 2024 dispute.
On May 5, 2024, NEET-UG faced allegations of paper leaks and malpractice in several states, including Bihar and Jharkhand. Police investigations in Patna led to multiple arrests.
A group of students reportedly received controversial “grace marks,” while an unusual 67 students secured All India Rank 1.
Later, the Supreme Court observed that at least 155 candidates had benefited from leaked material. However, the court refused to cancel the entire examination.
Critics accused the NTA of lacking transparency and initially denying the leak allegations. Since Subodh Kumar Singh was NTA DG at that time, many argued that moral responsibility rested with his office.
The government subsequently removed him and handed the investigation to the CBI.
How Did The NEET Paper Leak 2026 Happen?
Investigators say the NEET Paper Leak 2026 case revolves around Rajasthan’s Sikar district, which has emerged as a major coaching hub after Kota.
According to Rajasthan Police’s Special Operations Group (SOG), the suspected leak trail began at a printing press in Nashik.
The question paper allegedly moved from there to a doctor based in Gurugram, Haryana. It was then reportedly routed through Jaipur’s Jamwa Ramgarh area before reaching Rakesh Kumar Mandawariya in Sikar, who has been described as a coaching counsellor.
Later, a “guess paper” circulated among some students.
Investigators claim that between 120 and 140 questions from that material matched the official NEET-UG 2026 examination paper.
The suspected network reportedly extended beyond Rajasthan and may involve links to Delhi, Bihar, Kerala, Jammu and Kashmir, and Uttarakhand.
The CBI has already detained a person connected to the Nashik printing press as part of the ongoing investigation.
Government Response And Impact On Students
Following the allegations, the NTA officially cancelled the May 3 examination across India.
The agency clarified that students would not need to register again and all earlier applications would remain valid for the re-exam.
NTA officials said they accepted responsibility and would work to restore public trust.
Meanwhile, the CBI has formally taken charge of the criminal investigation.
Students Face Fresh Uncertainty
More than 22 lakh medical aspirants are now facing uncertainty because of the NEET Paper Leak 2026 controversy.
Many students had spent an entire year preparing for the examination, paying expensive coaching fees and, in some cases, taking education loans.
Families had pinned hopes on timely medical admissions, but now counselling and admissions are expected to face delays.
Protests have erupted in several cities, with students demanding accountability, transparency and a clear examination schedule.
Experts say repeated leak allegations in 2024 and now in 2026 expose serious weaknesses in the examination system.
For lakhs of students, a fair and transparent re-examination is now essential to restore trust in India’s biggest medical entrance test.
