A fresh controversy has erupted around NEET-UG 2026, after investigators in Rajasthan began probing allegations that exam questions may have been circulated before last week’s medical entrance test, renewing anxieties over the integrity of one of India’s most competitive examinations.
The exam was conducted by the National Testing Agency on May 3, and is taken annually by lakhs of students seeking admission to medical colleges across India. But within days of the test, allegations surfaced that a so-called “guess paper” had been distributed ahead of the exam and contained a significant number of questions that closely resembled those that appeared in the actual test.
According to investigators from Rajasthan Police’s Special Operations Group (SOG), the circulated document reportedly included around 410 questions, with officials examining claims that 100 to 120 questions matched the final NEET paper. The material is believed to have circulated through WhatsApp groups roughly 42 hours before the examination, prompting concerns that the issue may go beyond routine coaching predictions and point to organised malpractice.
The Rajasthan SOG has reportedly detained and questioned 13 individuals as part of its investigation and is exploring possible links to networks operating in Rajasthan, Uttarakhand and Maharashtra. Authorities are attempting to determine whether the circulation stemmed from a coordinated leak operation or from coaching networks that produced an unusually accurate prediction paper.
The National Testing Agency has denied that a confirmed paper leak took place and has defended the examination process, saying strict security measures were in place. Officials said exam papers were transported in GPS-enabled vehicles, protected through unique watermarks, monitored through AI-enabled CCTV surveillance and safeguarded using biometric verification systems and signal jammers at test centres.
The agency said it first received reports of possible malpractice on May 7 and referred the matter to central agencies the following day. It has said further action will depend on the findings of the ongoing investigation.
The controversy has quickly drawn political attention. Rahul Gandhi criticised the government over the allegations and said repeated exam controversies were undermining students’ trust in the system.
The developments have revived memories of the 2024 NEET controversy, when confirmed irregularities and leak allegations led to nationwide protests, court intervention and a federal investigation.
Latest from NTA
The National Testing Agency wishes to inform candidates, parents, and members of the public of the following decisions taken in respect of NEET (UG) 2026. NTA had, on 8 May 2026, referred the matters then under consideration to the central agencies for independent verification and necessary action, consistent with its standing commitment to the fair, secure, and credible conduct of the national examinations entrusted to it.
1. On the basis of the inputs subsequently examined by NTA in coordination with the central agencies, and the investigative findings shared by the law enforcement agencies and in order 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 inputs received by NTA, taken together with the findings shared by the law enforcement agencies, established that the present examination process could not be allowed to stand. The re-conducted examination dates, along with the re-issued admit-card schedule, will be communicated through the official channels of the Agency in the coming days.
2. The Government of India has further decided to refer the matter to the Central Bureau of Investigation for a comprehensive inquiry into the allegations therein. NTA will extend full cooperation to the Bureau and will provide all materials, records, and assistance the inquiry requires.
3. This decision has been taken in the interest of students and in recognition of the trust on which the national examination system rests. The Agency is conscious that re-conduct will cause real and significant inconvenience to candidates and their families. NTA does not take that consequence lightly. The decision has been taken because the alternative would have caused greater and more lasting damage to that trust.
4. 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.
5. Further communications, including the re-conducted examination dates and the re-issued admit-card schedule, will be issued through the official channels of the Agency. Candidates and parents are requested to rely only on these official channels and to disregard unverified reports circulating on social media.
Helpline: neet-ug@nta.ac.in | 011-40759000 / 011-69227700
