India
oi-Swastika Sruti
The NEET-UG 2026 paper leak case has now become one of the biggest examination controversies in recent years, shaking the confidence of lakhs of students and raising serious concerns about the security of India’s competitive examination system.
The NEET-UG 2026 exam was cancelled by the NTA for over 22 lakh students following a nationwide paper leak controversy, leading to arrests and a CBI probe into alleged networks and middlemen across states including Rajasthan, Nashik, and Bihar.
What began as rumours about a “guess paper” circulating before the exam has now turned into a nationwide criminal investigation involving multiple states, several arrests, alleged middlemen, coaching-linked networks and a full-scale probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
The controversy eventually forced the National Testing Agency (NTA) to cancel NEET-UG 2026, an examination taken by more than 22 lakh students across the country.
How The NEET 2026 Controversy Started
The controversy started shortly after the NEET-UG examination was conducted on May 3, 2026. Investigators and students began claiming that a handwritten “guess paper” circulating before the exam matched a large portion of the actual question paper.
According to investigators, around 120 to 150 questions from the circulated material reportedly matched the real NEET paper.
Officials later said that many of the matching questions were from Biology and Chemistry sections. This immediately triggered suspicion that confidential examination material may have leaked before the test.
As complaints increased, Rajasthan Police’s Special Operations Group (SOG) launched an investigation into the matter.
Rajasthan Emerges As The Centre Of Investigation
Very soon, Rajasthan – especially Sikar district – emerged as one of the main centres of investigation. Sikar, known as a major coaching hub after Kota, came under scrutiny after investigators found evidence that the alleged “guess paper” had circulated among students, counsellors and coaching-linked contacts in the region.
Officials suspect that the paper moved through a network involving intermediaries who allegedly distributed it using WhatsApp groups and private communication channels.
Investigators believe the operation was not random, but part of an organised interstate network.
Nashik Link And Arrest Of Shubham Khairnar
One of the most important developments in the case came from Maharashtra’s Nashik.
Investigators arrested Shubham Khairnar, a medical student studying in Bhopal, in connection with the alleged leak.
According to investigators, Khairnar allegedly obtained a physical copy of the controversial “guess paper” in Nashik a few days before the examination.
Officials claim he later converted it into a soft copy and forwarded it to a contact in Haryana.
Initially, investigators suspected that the leak may have originated from a printing-related network linked to Nashik. However, later findings suggested that the paper itself may not have been printed there.
Still, the Nashik connection became a major focus of the investigation because it allegedly acted as a transfer point in the larger network.
Madhya Pradesh Connection Deepens Probe
The investigation later uncovered a Madhya Pradesh angle when authorities found that Shubham Khairnar had taken admission in a Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery (BAMS) course at Shri Satya Sai University in Sehore in 2021.
However, the university administration said Khairnar never attended classes after taking admission.
Vice-Chancellor Mukesh Tiwari clarified:
“He neither attended classes nor appeared in examinations or participated in any university activity.”
The university distanced itself from the accused and said it had no active contact with him after enrolment.
Investigators are now trying to determine whether Khairnar had links with larger educational or coaching-related networks operating across states.
Alleged Money Trail Behind The Leak
According to police sources, investigators suspect that the leak involved large sums of money. Officials allege that Khairnar bought the “guess paper” from a Pune-based contact for around Rs 10 lakh and later sold it onward to a Haryana-based buyer for Rs 15 lakh.
Investigators are now examining:
- Bank transactions
- Digital payment records
- Phone communication
- WhatsApp chats
- Call data records
The CBI believes tracing the money trail may help uncover the full structure of the network.
Rajgir Arrests Raised Fresh Suspicion
Another major breakthrough happened in Bihar’s Rajgir on the day of the examination itself. Police officials conducting vehicle checks intercepted two suspicious cars.
Rajgir DSP Sunil Kumar Singh later revealed that the occupants claimed to be MBBS students. During checking, police reportedly found large amounts of cash and multiple NEET admit cards inside their mobile phones.
Three people were arrested in connection with the case.
The discovery raised fears about possible impersonation networks and organised candidate handling during the exam.
Investigators are now examining whether the admit cards were connected to fraudulent exam activities.
Dehradun Arrests And The ‘Mastermind’ Angle
The case became even bigger after Rajasthan Police’s SOG arrested five people from Dehradun on May 7, including alleged mastermind Rakesh Kumar Mandawariya.
Mandawariya is described as a Sikar-based career counsellor allegedly linked to the spread of the paper.
Investigators claim he received a question bank containing around 410 questions from an examinee in Kerala.
Out of those, nearly 150 questions reportedly matched the actual NEET examination paper.
According to officials, the material was initially sold for around Rs 5 lakh. As the exam date came closer, the rate allegedly dropped to Rs 30,000 per aspirant.
The alleged paper then spread rapidly among students through WhatsApp and Telegram groups.
Coaching Networks Under Scanner
Investigators now suspect that coaching-linked contacts played a major role in spreading the paper. A counsellor connected to a coaching centre in Sikar was also detained for allegedly buying the paper for Rs 5 lakh and distributing it among aspirants.
Officials believe coaching-linked intermediaries may have helped circulate the material to students in multiple states.
The investigation has now expanded beyond Rajasthan and includes possible links in:
- Haryana
- Bihar
- Maharashtra
- Kerala
- Uttarakhand
- Madhya Pradesh
How Many Arrests Have Been Made So Far?
So far, authorities have arrested multiple suspects connected to different parts of the case.
Key accused include:
- Shubham Khairnar from Nashik
- Rakesh Kumar Mandawariya from Dehradun
- Four NEET aspirants linked to the Dehradun operation
- Three accused arrested in Rajgir, Bihar
- Apart from these arrests, Rajasthan SOG has questioned at least 13 suspects from Dehradun, Sikar and Jhunjhunu.
Investigators believe more arrests are likely as the CBI expands the probe.
NTA Cancels NEET-UG 2026
As the controversy intensified nationwide, the NTA officially cancelled NEET-UG 2026.
The decision affected more than 22 lakh candidates who had appeared for the exam on May 3.
The government later handed the investigation to the CBI for a nationwide inquiry.
The CBI registered an FIR under charges including:
- Criminal conspiracy
- Cheating
- Theft
- Destruction of evidence
- Violations under the Public Examination Prevention of Unfair Means Act, 2024
Students Left Angry And Frustrated
The cancellation has triggered massive anger among students and parents across India.
Many students had spent years preparing for NEET and now face uncertainty regarding:
- Re-examination dates
- Admission schedules
- Counselling timelines
- Academic delays
The controversy has also raised serious questions about whether India’s national-level entrance examinations are adequately protected from organised leak networks.
Bigger Questions Over India’s Exam System
Experts say the NEET 2026 controversy highlights deeper problems in the examination system.
Repeated paper leak allegations in competitive exams have weakened public trust and increased demands for stricter digital security, stronger surveillance and faster investigations.
The case is now being seen not just as an examination leak, but as a major challenge to institutional credibility.
As the CBI probe continues, investigators are expected to uncover more details about how the network operated, who funded it and how far the leak spread before the examination.
For millions of students, however, the biggest concern remains simple – whether future examinations can truly remain fair and secure.
