NEET UG row deepens as SC pulls up NTA over exam lapses, arrests rise to 13

The NEET-UG 2026 controversy has escalated into one of the country’s biggest examination scandals, with the Supreme Court sharply criticizing the National Testing Agency (NTA) while the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) expands its probe into an alleged multi-state paper leak network involving coaching operators, subject experts, intermediaries, and medical aspirants.

The undergraduate medical entrance examination, conducted for more than 22 lakh candidates on May 2, was canceled by the Centre on May 12 following allegations that question papers had been leaked before the test.

The re-examination is now scheduled for June 21 under heightened security arrangements.

The case has placed the NTA under intense scrutiny, with investigators examining allegations of organized malpractice, insider involvement, and the circulation of leaked question papers across several states before the examination.

The Supreme Court on May 25 raised serious concerns over the functioning of the NTA, observing that the agency appeared to have “not learnt any lesson from the past” despite repeated warnings regarding examination management and procedural failures.

A bench of Justices PS Narasimha and Alok Aradhe said the examination process itself would come under close judicial scrutiny. The court noted that directions had already been issued two years ago to make the NEET examination system foolproof.

In 2024, the apex court had similarly flagged “serious concerns” regarding the manner in which NEET was conducted, observing that the sanctity of the examination process had been compromised.

The SC has now directed the center-appointed committee headed by former ISRO chief K Radhakrishnan to submit details regarding the corrective measures taken to improve the functioning of the NTA and comply with earlier judicial directions.

As the judicial scrutiny intensified, the CBI widened its investigation across multiple states. Officials said the number of arrests in the case has now increased to 13.

The accused have been arrested from Delhi, Jaipur, Gurugram, Nashik, Pune, Latur, and Ahilyanagar, among other locations.

Investigators are probing what they describe as a coordinated interstate network allegedly involved in circulating leaked question papers and “guess papers” ahead of the examination.

According to officials, the trail extends from Rajasthan and Maharashtra to Kerala, indicating the existence of a larger organized operation.

Investigators believe the controversy began unfolding even before the examination was conducted.

Ahead of the May 2 exam, “guess papers” allegedly containing question sets began circulating through WhatsApp and Telegram groups in Rajasthan. Several of those questions were later alleged to match the actual NEET-UG paper.

Between May 6 and May 8, the NTA reportedly received emails from a teacher who flagged possible irregularities and shared screenshots of allegedly leaked questions. The information was subsequently forwarded to central agencies.

The probe intensified between May 11 and May 12, when Rajasthan Police busted an alleged network operating out of a rented apartment in Sikar. Around 13 suspects from Sikar, Jhunjhunu, and Dehradun were detained during the operation.

A career counselor based in Sikar was also arrested for allegedly leaking Biology questions.

On May 12, the Centre formally canceled the examination and handed over the investigation to the CBI.

The next day, the agency officially registered the case and launched searches across multiple states. Several special investigation teams were constituted to examine digital evidence, trace communication trails, and identify the larger network behind the alleged leak.

Among the first arrests was Shubham Khairnar from Nashik, who investigators allege identified students from affluent families and arranged leaked papers for them.

Others arrested included Mangilal, Vikas, and Dinesh Bival from Jaipur, along with Yash Yadav from Gurugram.

The Maharashtra connection soon widened

On May 14, investigators detained Dhananjay Lokhande, an Ayurvedic doctor from Ahilyanagar, and Manisha Waghmare, a Pune-based beauty parlor operator accused of acting as intermediaries in the racket.

A day later, the CBI arrested PV Kulkarni, a retired chemistry professor from Latur and former NTA subject expert. Officials said investigators also uncovered a logistics network allegedly operating from Bihar that may have played a role in distributing leaked material.

Manisha Mandhare, a senior botany lecturer and NTA subject expert from Pune, was taken into custody. Another accused, Manisha Havaldar, a school principal and former NTA subject expert, was also arrested.

On May 17, investigators arrested Shivraj Motegaonkar, founder of the RCC coaching institute in Latur, for his alleged involvement in the network.

The investigation later expanded with the arrest of two more accused, taking the total number of arrests to 13.

The newly arrested individuals include Dr Manoj Shirure, a doctor from Maharashtra’s Latur district, and Tejas Harshadkumar Shah, a physics faculty member at Pune-based Dr Abhang Prabhu Medical Academy (APMA).

According to the CBI, Dr Shirure allegedly played a key role in facilitating access to leaked Chemistry questions for three students, including the son of an accused coaching center owner.

Investigators claimed the Chemistry paper was allegedly sourced through another accused, PV Kulkarni. Tejas Shah has been accused of receiving leaked Physics questions from arrested accused Manisha Havaldar.

Officials said the agency is continuing to examine the full chain through which Physics, Chemistry, and Biology questions were allegedly circulated before the examination.

So far, the CBI has carried out searches at 49 locations across India and seized several electronic devices, documents, laptops, and mobile phones. Detailed forensic and technical analysis of the seized material is currently underway.

The case was formally registered on May 12 following a written complaint submitted by the Department of Higher Education under the Ministry of Education regarding the alleged leak.

Officials said investigators are also examining whether insiders connected to the examination system, including subject experts and evaluators, may have facilitated access to confidential material.

The controversy has triggered widespread concern over the credibility of India’s largest medical entrance examination, particularly because more than 22 lakh candidates are affected by the cancellation and re-test.

With the June 21 re-examination approaching, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has written to all Chief Ministers, Lieutenant Governors, and Administrators seeking active cooperation to ensure the exam is conducted smoothly and securely.

The Ministry of Education confirmed the communication through its official X handle and said the center was treating the issue with utmost seriousness.

Pradhan also highlighted the severe heatwave conditions prevailing across several states and directed authorities to ensure basic facilities at examination centers, especially as temperatures in many regions are expected to cross 40°C during June.

Earlier, the Education Minister chaired a high-level review meeting and instructed officials to ensure that the re-examination is conducted in a “secure, seamless, and foolproof manner” under stringent security protocols.

“The minister emphasized that the Re-NEET examination must be conducted in a secure, seamless, and foolproof manner under stringent security protocols,” officials said.

During the review meeting, Pradhan directed authorities to identify and eliminate all weaknesses noticed during the earlier examination process to ensure complete transparency and integrity.

Authorities have also started processing fee refunds for eligible candidates affected by the cancellation. Students can log in using their credentials and submit bank account details to receive refunds.

The NEET-UG 2026 crisis has now evolved into a complex multi-agency investigation involving judicial oversight, nationwide searches, digital forensic analysis, and scrutiny of the NTA’s functioning.

With allegations of leaked papers, insider participation, organized interstate networks, and failures in examination security protocols emerging simultaneously, the controversy has placed India’s examination system under unprecedented public and institutional pressure ahead of the June 21 re-test.