NEET-UG examination would again be held on June 21, officially announced by the National Testing Agency on Friday, thus not compromising on institutional credibility. It would thus bring approval to those worthy of it and eliminate the impostors. The exam conducted on May 3 was publicly cancelled by NTA following the massive leak controversy. The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (Undergraduate), known as NEET-UG, is a highly competitive, nationwide entrance examination in India for students seeking admission to undergraduate medical programs like MBBS, BDS, and AYUSH courses.
Police in Rajasthan have uncovered that "guess papers" contained several matching and familiar questions — around 120 out of 410 questions in the actual NEET-UG Exam 2026 — and were selectively leaked and sold. Investigators have been reaching the root of the disclosure of the paper by checking WhatsApp groups and tracking how the document was circulated. Federal investigators at the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) now handle this case. The NTA has said the decision to cancel the exam has been taken "in the interest of students and in recognition of the trust on which the national examination system rests". NTA has also confirmed that candidates will not have to pay again, and the fees would be covered by the authority, which would cost Rs 200 crore.
NTA clarified that the candidates would now receive an additional 15 minutes for documentation, verification, and other formalities before the test. The agency also confirmed that candidates would receive a refund of the examination fee by submitting bank account details by May 21, 2026. Plus, existing candidates' registration is valid; no one needs to re-register. Fresh admit cards will be available for download on or before June 14, 2026.
The NEET exam has faced controversy before. In 2024, it was again marred by accusations of paper leaks, fraud, and irregularities related to the allocation of grace marks. This led to widespread protests across the country after thousands of candidates received unexpectedly high scores.
The agency acknowledged that re-conducting the exam would cause "real and significant inconvenience" to candidates and families, but said allowing the process to continue would risk "greater and more lasting damage" to corporate reputation and trustworthiness.
The "paper leak mafia" had sold a leaked paper masked as a "guess paper" that had 90 biology and 45 chemistry questions, which actually appeared in the May 3 exam, as stated by the Rajasthan Police Special Operation Group (SOG). The price for an individual paper was Rs 10 lakh to Rs 25 lakh. SOG claimed that the paper was passed around extensively from Jaipur, Sikar, and Gurgaon to Nashik and Pune. An SOG official said, "We suspect the questions were meant to be shared with only a few select buyers, but greed took over, and someone leaked them outside the designated network."
In Nashik, the police arrested a 27-year-old man from Nandgaon who reportedly tried to avoid being detected. According to DCP Kirankumar Chavan, Nashik police acted following a request from their counterparts in Rajasthan. Sources revealed that the individual was a third-year student pursuing a Bachelor of Ayurveda, Medicine, and Surgery in Sehore, Madhya Pradesh. He also worked part-time as a career counsellor in Nashik. The police detained him as he was preparing to leave the city, claiming he was going on a holiday. It is alleged that he received a package from an unknown person and was forwarding it to someone in Gurgaon. "He will be handed over to the Rajasthan Police once their team arrives in Nashik," Chavan said.
Nearly 23 lakh hopeful medical candidates were affected by the cancellation, including parents. Students were observed carrying signs and chanting slogans during the protests. Several students in Hyderabad protested at different places, demanding action against those responsible for the NEET-UG exam paper leak. They appeared to describe the paper leak as a complete failure of the authorities. Many students were left disappointed and anxious with the exam cancellation, as they had to prepare again. However, the cancellation of the exam was a great blow to those students who performed well. But the re-attempt paper would highlight those who did not choose to improve their score and instead picked a shortcut.
"So I would not say that the entire paper was leaked. But I will definitely say that even if a single question matches our question paper, then our commitment to zero tolerance and zero error is violated, and our entire process is compromised. We take responsibility for it and will take action accordingly," said NTA Director General Abhishek Singh. Meanwhile, the president of NSUI, Vinod Jakhar, proclaimed, "The future of those who prepared for the NEET examination with utmost diligence and integrity has been sold off."
Unfortunately, this cancellation is expected to affect the medical admission calendar of 2026-27. The students who spent months and even years preparing for the test were left hopeless. Many Indian politicians have accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government of failing to prevent leaks. The students who spent months and even years preparing for the test were left hopeless. Many Indian politicians have accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government of failing to prevent leaks.
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