100% Chemistry match in leaked ‘guess paper’ led NTA to NEET insider leak source

A 100% match between Chemistry questions in a leaked “guess paper” and the actual NEET-UG 2026 question paper triggered the National Testing Agency’s internal probe, eventually leading investigators to focus on a possible insider leak, sources familiar with the matter said.

Following its preliminary findings, the NTA shared the names of all Chemistry paper-setters and translators with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for further scrutiny, sources said.

According to officials, the breakthrough came after the NTA received an email on May 7 from a whistleblower in Sikar, four days after the nationwide exam held on May 3. The whistleblower initially alerted the agency about the leak and later sent a PDF of the alleged leaked paper.

A comparison reportedly revealed a complete, 100% match in the Chemistry section, while parts of the Biology paper were also found to overlap with the actual exam.

A source aware of the investigation said the NTA has handed over a list of 26 to 27 individuals linked to the Chemistry paper to the CBI. Of them, 24 are translators, while the remaining are question setters for Physical, Organic and Inorganic Chemistry.

“There is a possibility that some among them may have served as paper-setters or translators in previous years as well,” the source said.

Because NEET is conducted in multiple languages, the NTA appoints translators across Physics, Chemistry and Biology. For each language, two translators are assigned per subject, one to translate from English into the regional language and another to translate it back into English, a process designed to preserve accuracy and meaning.

“It is a trust-based system. The integrity of the examination depends on the trust placed in paper-setters and translators. They were appointed in January and required to submit formal undertakings,” a source said.

With suspicion now falling on insiders, the agency is reportedly considering stricter background verification of paper-setters and translators through an independent third party.

Invoking the Hindi proverb ghar ka bhedi Lanka dhaye, loosely meaning betrayal from within causes the greatest damage, officials said the episode has exposed vulnerabilities in the existing system.

For the next NEET exam scheduled on June 21, the NTA has replaced all question setters and translators, not only for Chemistry but also for Biology and Physics, sources said.

“The timeline is extremely tight, with less than a month left for the pen-and-paper exam on June 21,” an official said, adding that the agency is simultaneously revising its standard operating procedures to strengthen exam integrity.

Among those arrested so far is P V Kulkarni, a retired lecturer from Pune, who the CBI alleges was involved in both drafting Chemistry questions and translating them into Marathi.

The NTA’s security framework, introduced following recommendations made by a committee in 2024, mandates that question papers be prepared in secure, internet-free rooms where paper-setters are barred from carrying mobile phones or laptops.

Separately, the agency has begun internal restructuring. Alongside the induction of four senior officers — two at Joint Secretary rank and two at Joint Director rank — it has also advertised leadership roles including Chief Technology Officer, Chief Financial Officer and General Manager (Human Resources), all of whom will report directly to the Director General.