A major controversy has erupted around the recently conducted NEET UG 2026 examination, one of India’s most important entrance tests for admission into MBBS, BDS, and other medical courses. Just days after nearly 22.79 lakh students appeared for the highly competitive examination, serious allegations of a paper leak shook the country once again, raising fresh concerns over the credibility of India’s examination system.

Despite strict security arrangements and repeated assurances by the National Testing Agency (NTA), the scandal exposed glaring loopholes in the system. The controversy exploded after a handwritten “guess paper” circulating among students was found to closely resemble large sections of the actual NEET UG 2026 question paper, especially in the Chemistry and Biology portions.

The revelations triggered nationwide outrage, multiple investigations, police action across states, and eventually led to the cancellation of the NEET UG 2026 examination. The exam, originally held on 3rd May, will now be conducted again on a fresh date that will be announced later by the NTA.

Handwritten ‘Guess Paper’ Sparked The NEET Leak Investigation

According to reports, a handwritten document containing nearly 410 questions, including a focused set of around 281 questions, began circulating among NEET aspirants through WhatsApp groups, Telegram channels, and coaching institute networks several days before the examination. The circulation was especially prominent in coaching hubs such as Sikar in Rajasthan and Dehradun in Uttarakhand.

As students prepared for the examination scheduled on 3rd May, the so-called “guess paper” spread rapidly across various private networks. Initially, many students reportedly treated it as another unofficial practice set or coaching material. However, after the examination concluded, alarming similarities between the circulated material and the actual question paper began surfacing.

Following a tip-off, the Rajasthan Police’s Special Operations Group (SOG) launched an investigation into the matter. During the probe, investigators reportedly discovered that nearly 120 to 140 questions from the circulated handwritten paper matched exactly or were extremely similar to the actual NEET paper, particularly in Biology and Chemistry sections.

Several reports further claimed that as many as 135 questions matched the original examination paper. Since every NEET question carries four marks, these allegedly matching questions accounted for nearly 600 marks out of the total 720 marks, a figure large enough to completely alter rankings and admissions across the country.

Investigators reportedly traced the origin of the handwritten question bank to a man from Rajasthan’s Churu district, who is currently pursuing MBBS at a medical college in Kerala. According to the probe, he allegedly shared the material with a friend in Sikar on 1st May, just two days before the examination.

From there, the material spread quickly through student groups, coaching contacts, career counsellors, and paying candidates. The network reportedly expanded within hours, reaching multiple aspirants before the examination date.

Interestingly, after the exam ended on 3rd May, a PG operator in Sikar approached the Udyog Nagar Police Station and filed a complaint alleging that a large number of students had received the controversial question bank before the examination.

However, the investigation soon took an unexpected turn. Police reportedly discovered that the same PG operator who filed the complaint had himself received the question paper-like material and had allegedly forwarded it to several students and counsellors. Authorities suspect that the complaint may have been filed as a precautionary move to shield himself from possible legal consequences once the scandal came under scrutiny.

The Rajasthan SOG is now focusing on uncovering the full network involved in the alleged leak, including middlemen, coaching contacts, distributors, and individuals suspected of having insider access.

While investigators are officially describing the leaked material as a “guess paper” or an advanced test series document, the extraordinary level of similarity between the circulated questions and the actual paper has raised serious doubts. Investigators believe such matching could not have happened without some form of internal compromise or access to confidential examination material.

Reports have also revealed that the handwritten “guess paper” was allegedly sold through multiple networks for prices ranging from Rs 30,000 to as high as Rs 5 lakh.

So far, police have arrested around 13 individuals in connection with the case. Several suspects have been questioned, while raids and searches are continuing in different states. On Tuesday, Kiran Kumar Chavan, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Nashik City, confirmed that the Rajasthan Police had contacted local authorities regarding a suspect linked to the NEET paper leak investigation.

NTA Initially Avoided Calling It A Paper Leak

As anger among students and parents intensified nationwide, the National Testing Agency issued an official statement on 10th May explaining the sequence of events following the examination.

Regarding the reports of malpractice, the NTA stated, “On the late evening of 7 May 2026, four days after the examination, NTA received inputs concerning alleged malpractice activity around the examination. These inputs were escalated by NTA to central agencies on the morning of 8 May 2026 for independent verification and necessary action. The action subsequently undertaken by the law enforcement agencies, including the detentions reported in the media over recent days, is the result of their professional and timely work. NTA places on record its appreciation for the agencies leading this effort, and confirms that it is working closely with them in a fully supporting role, providing all examination-related data and technical assistance required.”

Even at that stage, the Agency stopped short of directly calling it a paper leak and maintained that the investigation was still underway. The NTA further stated, “The matter is presently under investigation, and the facts will be established by the agencies in due course. NTA will not pre-judge the inquiry, nor characterise its likely outcome. Whatever the agencies determine, including findings that may require further action, will be examined transparently and disclosed in keeping with established procedure.”

CBI Takes Over Probe As NEET UG 2026 Gets Cancelled

Amid growing pressure and widespread criticism, the Central Government later handed over the investigation to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Soon after, on 12th May, the National Testing Agency officially announced the cancellation of NEET UG 2026.

In its statement, the NTA declared, “Based on the inputs subsequently examined by NTA in coordination with the central agencies, and the investigative findings shared by the law enforcement agencies and to ensure that there is transparency in the system, the National Testing Agency, with the approval of the Government of India, has decided to cancel the NEET (UG) 2026 examination conducted on 3 May 2026, and to re-conduct the examination on dates that will be notified separately.”

The agency further acknowledged that the existing examination process could no longer be considered reliable enough to stand.

Recognising the anxiety and emotional burden caused to students and their families, the NTA also announced relief measures. It stated, “The registration data, candidature, and examination centres opted for in the May 2026 cycle will be carried forward to the re-conducted examination. No fresh registration will be required, and no additional examination fee will be levied. In addition, fees already paid will be refunded to the students, and the exam will be re-conducted using NTA’s internal resources.”

A Crisis That Refuses To End

The NEET UG 2026 controversy has once again exposed the recurring problem of examination leaks in India’s highly competitive education system. This is not the first time NEET has faced allegations of malpractice. In 2024, paper leak cases had surfaced in Bihar and Jharkhand, alongside a separate controversy involving “grace marks” that affected thousands of candidates.

At that time, the matter was investigated by the CBI, and the Supreme Court eventually ruled that the leak was localised rather than nationwide, allowing the results to remain valid.

The latest scandal, however, has revived deeper questions about the role of private coaching networks, the enormous pressure surrounding medical entrance examinations, and the desperation among students competing for limited seats. It has also renewed criticism of an examination system that repeatedly promises stronger safeguards but continues to struggle against organised leak networks and insider manipulation.

For lakhs of students who spent years preparing for NEET, the cancellation has brought uncertainty, exhaustion, and emotional distress. Yet for many others, the decision has also become a symbol of how deeply compromised competitive examinations can become when transparency and accountability fail to keep pace with the scale of the system.