NEET UG 2026 Paper Leak Reaches Supreme Court, Judicial Probe & Re-Exam Demanded Amid Nationwide Outrage

Another accused in the NEET paper leak case, Dhananjay Lokhande, has been arrested from Ahilyanagar, where he was allegedly hiding after fleeing from Pune.

So far, two arrests have been made in Maharashtra in connection with the case.

Police took suspected accused Dhananjay Lokhande into custody from Ahilyanagar in the NEET examination paper leak case. During the investigation, his last known location was traced to Pune.

To evade police raids, the accused had reportedly escaped from Pune and reached Ahilyanagar. Acting on a tip-off, Ahilyanagar police and special investigation teams laid a trap and successfully detained him.

At present, Dhananjay Lokhande remains in police custody and is being questioned extensively. Officials said Ahilyanagar police may soon hand him over to the concerned investigating agency, which is expected to help uncover more details about the entire paper leak network.

Shubham Khairnar was a residence of Indiranagar locality of Nashik. He allegedly bought the leaked question paper from pune-based suspect for Rs. 10 lakh and sold it to a buyer in Haryana for Rs. 15 lakh, earning a Rs. 5 lakh profit. The NEET UG paper was shared via an unknown encrypted messenger application.

Shubham was detained by CBI on Tuesday while travelling to a temple for prayers. He had changed his appearance by cutting his hairs in an attempt to evade detection, but police identified him by cross-referencing his current look with older photographs and utilising technical surveillance data.

The leak began in Mahrashtra.

The scandal started in  Maharashtra’s Nashik where the first digital copy of the question paper was leaked.

Later, the paper reached to several states including Haryana’s Gurugram, Jaipur, Sikar- a major hub of coaching institutes, Jammu and Kashmir, Bihar and Kerala.

The leaked question papers were distributed in the guise of “guess papers”.

Some coaching centres could also be a part of the larger conspiracy. According to the sources, some Sikar’s coaching institutes made some select students prepare for NEET using the “guess papers”.

While some NEET aspirants received PDF copies of the leaked papers, some were given physical copies.

The authorities found that all 90 questions of the NEET biology question papers matched those of the “guess papers”. In chemistry, 35 of 46 questions matched. In some questions, not even the language and punctuation were different.

At 11 pm on May 2, an MBBS student from Rajasthan’s Sikar studying in Kerala sent a “guess paper” to his father who runs a hostel for coaching students in Sikar. It was just a few hours to go for the NEET exam of May 3. Little did the father and son know that they had unwittingly stumbled on a NEET exam paper leak, which would have dramatic consequences – cancellation of the entire exam and a Central Bureau of Investigation takeover of the case that now seems to span several states.

Sources in the Special Operations Group said the Kerala student had got the “guess paper” in PDF format from a friend in Sikar. Since he was already studying medicine, he did not need the “guess paper”. He sent it to his father who runs a hostel in Sikar for coaching centre students. He knew his father slept early, but he dropped a message saying in case anyone in the hostel is sitting for NEET, this paper could be helpful.

#WATCH | नोएडा, उत्तर प्रदेश: फिजिक्स वाला के CEO अलख पांडे ने NEET-UG 2026 परीक्षा रद्द होने पर कहा, “यह बहुत दुखद है…23 लाख बच्चे थे जो इस परीक्षा को देने वाले थे… 1 करोड़ लोग हैं जो आज दुखी है… एक पूरा घर था जो लड़ रहा था कि अपने बच्चे को डॉक्टर बनाएंगे और बच्चा खुश होकर… pic.twitter.com/JOohHq7bpc

— ANI_HindiNews (@AHindinews) May 12, 2026

A shadow server in Nashik, which was based on a leased line of a small IT startup, was also used to hide data transfer, said the sources.

Investigators suspect that an employee of a private courier company may have helped the criminals get access to the storage trunks of question papers for 30 minutes.

The NEET question papers weren’t scanned through mobile cameras to avoid detection, the sources said. Criminals used high-definition portable scanners and then distributed the scanned copies through instant-messaging mobile applications like Telegram and WhatsApp.

The agencies are also probing a network called Private Mafia, which has around 400 members. The group’s description says it was only meant to share leaked papers.

Initial investigation into the NEET-UG paper leak scandal has revealed an elaborate conspiracy, which was hatched in Maharashtra’s Nashik and fully operationalised in Rajasthan’s Sikar, a major hub of coaching institutes. The medical entrance test’s question papers were leaked using sophisticated technology, including portable scanners, a complex Telegram network and a shadow server.

The first digital copy of the leaked question paper was prepared in Nashik, sources said, adding that later a copy was printed in the local press. From Nashik, the leaker questions reached Haryana’s Gurugram, from where it was transported to Jaipur and then Sikar.

From Sikar, the leaked papers were sent to Jammu and Kashmir, Bihar and Kerala.

Following the cancellation of the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test examination, former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Tuesday raised questions over the handling of the alleged paper leak case by the Rajasthan government and the Special Operations Group.

Gehlot said the Special Operations Group did not register a First Information Report despite complaints and arrests linked to the alleged leak.

“The Special Operations Group failed to register even a single First Information Report. People are questioning why a formal case was not registered and why a report was not submitted,” Gehlot said.

He further said the matter should have been handled more transparently.

“I can state with certainty that the Special Operations Group did not allow the matter to come fully into the public domain. Why did the Special Operations Group refrain from registering a First Information Report? How can an investigation proceed without formally registering a case?” he asked.

(IANS)

The ruling Congress in Karnataka on Tuesday lashed out at the Centre for cancelling the NEET examination, saying that such an incident is happening for the second time.

The National Testing Agency (NTA) cancelled the NEET examination held on May 3 and announced a reexamination following the leakage of question papers.

Addressing reporters, Karnataka School Education Minister Madhu Bangarappa said children are suffering because of the mismanagement.

“Because of mismanagement, due to their hollow administration, injustice is being done to children. What else can I say? What more do you talk about people who just beat drums and light lamps without doing anything meaningful?” Bangarappa said.

(PTI)

DMK president MK Stalin on Tuesday responded strongly to the cancellation of the NEET exam due to paper leak, saying it has affected lakhs of medical aspirants and called the qualifying exam a “scam.” NEET was playing with the lives of students and people, besides the future of medical infrastructure of the states, he said.

“There is fraud in every step of NEET. Like I have been repeatedly saying… NEET itself is a scam,” he said on his social media X handle.

#NEET – Never Been Neat:
இந்த ஆண்டும் #NEET Paper Leak முறைகேடுகள் வெளிவந்து, Exam Cancel ஆகியிருக்கு. இலட்சக்கணக்கான மாணவர்கள் மன உளைச்சலுக்கு ஆளாகியிருக்காங்க.
ஒரு தேர்வின் ஒவ்வொரு படிநிலையிலும் மோசடி நிறைந்ததாகவே நீட் இருக்கு. நான் தொடர்ந்து சொல்லி வருவதுபோல, நீட்ல Scam இல்ல,… pic.twitter.com/WilwYRPhmV

— M.K.Stalin – தமிழ்நாட்டை தலைகுனிய விடமாட்டேன் (@mkstalin) May 12, 2026

 Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) President Bhakta Charan Das on Tuesday strongly condemned the Union Government over the NEET-UG -2026 paper leak incident, calling it an “organised crime” within the education system and demanding strict action against those involved.

Referring to concerns earlier raised by senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Das said lakhs of students had spent sleepless nights preparing for the examination, while paper-leak rackets were benefiting from corruption and the government’s negligence.

“Children studied day and night with hopes for their future, but their aspirations were shattered due to the paper leak. This is not just negligence; it is an organised crime in the education sector,” he said.

(IANS)

Gujarat Health Minister Praful Pansheriya on Tuesday said that the decision to cancel the NEET-UG examination was taken in the interest of maintaining transparency after irregularities were detected.

He further added that the matter has been handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for a comprehensive probe.

Speaking on the issue, Pansheriya said the examination, conducted by central authorities with the trust of lakhs of students, was compromised after inputs of malpractice were received and verified through investigation.

He said, “When these agencies conduct the exam with the trust of students, they receive information that there has been some irregularity. When an investigation was carried out, it was found that this is a very difficult situation at present. Students and parents also feel a sense of sadness. But if the exam had continued, those involved in such wrongful activities would have benefited.”

(IANS)

#WATCH | दिल्ली: NSUI (नेशनल स्टूडेंट्स यूनियन ऑफ इंडिया) के कार्यकर्ताओं ने NTA (नेशनल टेस्टिंग एजेंसी) के दफ़्तर के बाहर प्रदर्शन किया।
पेपर लीक के आरोपों के चलते NEET-UG 2026 परीक्षा रद्द कर दी गई है। pic.twitter.com/AB90NFeDiv

— ANI_HindiNews (@AHindinews) May 12, 2026

#WATCH | Nashik, Maharashtra: Deputy Commissioner of Police Kiran Kumar Chauhan says, “A request from Rajasthan Police was received this morning for taking an individual into custody in connection with NEET exam matter. Accordingly, Nashik Police Crime Branch Unit 2 has nabbed a… pic.twitter.com/7D9tmGqyaW

— ANI (@ANI) May 12, 2026

#WATCH कोटा, राजस्थान: NEET-UG 2026 परीक्षा रद्द होने पर शिक्षक और मोशन एजुकेशन के संस्थापक नितिन विजय ने कहा, “एक ही रास्ते पर बार-बार जब घटना हो रही है तो समझना पड़ेगा कि क्यों ना इसका मोड बदला जाए। JEE में इस प्रकार की अप्रिय घटना नहीं होती क्योंकि ऑनलाइन परीक्षा होती है। NEET… pic.twitter.com/PBN6fTBVWO

— ANI_HindiNews (@AHindinews) May 12, 2026

The issue has raised serious questions about the credibility and transparency of the examination system. The organisation demanded a fair and time-bound investigation by central agencies and called for strict action against those involved, while urging stronger measures to ensure the security and accountability of national-level examinations.

#WATCH | Raipur, Chhattisgarh: On NEET-UG 2026 exam cancelled due to allegations of paper leak, a NEET aspirant says, “Almost everyone who appears for NEET starts preparing 2 years ahead… It will create demotivation… My year will get wasted if I don’t give the same amount of… pic.twitter.com/vi3Gb67prG

— ANI (@ANI) May 12, 2026

NEET 2026

EXAM CANCELLED

STUDENTS AFFECTED: ABOUT 22 LAKH

NEET 2024

ALLEGATIONS OF LEAKED QUESTION PAPERS & WRONGLY AWARDED GRACE MARKS

STUDENTS AFFECTED: ABOUT 24 LAKH

NEET 2021

EVEN BEFORE THE EXAM, REPORTS CLAIMED THE PAPER HAD BEEN LEAKED

STUDENTS AFFECTED: ABOUT 16.5 LAKH

NTA Cancels NEET UG 2026 LIVE: “BJP is running a ‘Tughlaq darbar’ “: Saravanan, a DMK leader

NEET UG 2026 LIVE: Congress leader Tikaram Jully Speaks On Cancellation

On NEET-UG 2026 exam cancelled following paper leak allegations, Congress leader Tikaram Jully says, “The NEET exam that has been suspended today, the police here received its complaints earlier, but they neglected them. .. Why did the Rajasthan police not register an FIR against this and consider it a paper leak? Its investigation should be held under the guidance of the judiciary… The paper mafia has its network across the country…”

NEET UG 2026 LIVE: “Business For Particular Gangs”

NEET UG Paper Cancel LIVE: NTA Chief Speaks To NDTV

NTA Chief told NDTV that the agency remains committed to conducting a fair and transparent examination process. He said the decision to cancel NEET UG 2026 was taken after reports and inputs related to an alleged paper leak surfaced. Calling the situation “embarrassing,” the NTA chief added that ensuring a fair examination for students remains the top priority of the agency.

NEET UG 2026 LIVE: Vinod Jakhar, National President of NSUI Speaks On Cancellation

NEET UG 2026 LIVE: How many candidates may actually have been involved?

NEET Paper Leaked LIVE: Why Only 140 Questions Matched?

A possible explanation for why only around 140 questions matched is that the individual responsible for the alleged leak may have had access to both question paper sets, but may not have known which set would ultimately be used on exam day. As a result, nearly 300 questions from both sets may have been circulated. Since only one set was eventually used, the remaining questions naturally did not appear in the exam. This theory can only be verified if the NTA releases the alternate set or officially confirms that the unmatched questions belonged to a reserved paper set.

NEET UG 2026 LIVE: NTA Acknowledges re-examination will cause real and significant inconvenience

NEET UG 2026 LIVE: The “Guess Paper”

The cancellation follows allegations of large-scale malpractices, primarily centred on a pre-circulated “guess paper” that reportedly matched around 120 questions in Chemistry and showed significant overlaps in Biology with the actual NEET UG 2026 question paper. According to reports, this material had reached coaching hubs such as Sikar up to a month in advance and was allegedly sold to aspirants for sums as high as 730,000 even the night before the exam, prompting investigations by Rajasthan’s Special Operations Group that included raids and questioning of multiple individuals.

NEET UG 2026 Exam LIVE: The Year 2024 Also Saw Paper Leak Allegations

This cancellation comes against the backdrop of recurring controversies surrounding the exam. In 2024, widespread allegations of question paper leaks, irregularities, and unusual scoring patterns had triggered nationwide protests, arrests, and judicial intervention, including by the Supreme Court. Similar concerns had surfaced in the run-up to the 2026 examination, prompting investigations by agencies such as Rajasthan’s Special Operations Group.

NEET UG 2026 LIVE: Protests Hit Shastri Bhawan

The National Students’ Union of India (NSUI), the student wing of the Congress party, staged massive sit-in protests outside the education ministry near Shastri Bhawan welcoming the cancellation while demanding stricter accountability and systemic reforms. NSUI activists raised slogans against the NTA and called for a complete overhaul of the examination process to prevent future leaks, and demanding swift action against those involved in the alleged irregularities.

NEET UG 2026 LIVE: Papers Were Mainly Leaked Around The Sikar Region, Rajasthan

The alleged leak appears to have been limited mainly to Sikar and nearby regions. Following its 2024 stance, the court may once again conclude that the leak was selective and geographically restricted, reducing the possibility of a nationwide re-NEET. At most, a re-examination may only be considered for affected regions. The NTA is also likely to maintain this position to protect institutional credibility, while the government may argue that a nationwide retest would unfairly burden lakhs of students who had no involvement in the irregularities.

NEET UG LIVE: Why Was The Paper Cancelled?

Out of the total 360 questions across both sets, nearly 140 questions in the released paper reportedly appear to match the alleged leaked questions. While many believe such an overlap is statistically impossible to be a coincidence, the court may still consider that a 40 per cent overlap alone does not conclusively prove a leak – especially since no one was found possessing the actual paper and no electronic leak has yet been officially established.

NEET UG 2026 LIVE: Paper Leak Investigation Started On Sunday

On sunday, the NTA had said it was investigating with agencies after reports emerged of alleged irregularities linked to the Rajasthan Special Operations Group probe into the conduct of NEET (UG) 2026.

NEET UG Exam LIVE: NTA Issued Statement On X.com