NewDelhi: NEET UG 2026 cancelled: The National Testing Agency has cancelled the NEET UG exam 2026 due to a paper leak controversy. The issue has triggered investigations across multiple states, political reactions, and renewed scrutiny of the National Testing Agency (NTA), which was already under pressure following the NEET-UG 2024 controversy.
The controversy quickly turned political when the Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi raised concerns over the alleged leak and questioned the credibility of India’s examination system. He demanded accountability and transparency in the investigation.
The issue has also reignited debates over repeated examination irregularities in India, especially in high-stakes competitive exams.
What is the NEET 2026 controversy?
The controversy began after reports emerged that a “guess paper” or mock test paper circulated before the NEET-UG 2026 examination allegedly contained almost 140 questions matching the actual exam conducted on May 3, 2026.
The allegations prompted Rajasthan Police’s Special Operations Group (SOG) to launch a formal investigation into possible malpractice and paper leak networks. Authorities are examining whether confidential exam content was illegally accessed and distributed before the test.
How did the issue first come to light?
According to reports, the National Testing Agency received inputs from Rajasthan and Uttarakhand indicating that certain question sets circulating before the exam closely resembled the actual NEET paper.
Investigators later found that:
A “guess paper” circulated among candidates allegedly had over 100 matching questions.
Similar materials surfaced in Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Maharashtra, and reportedly other states.
Some claims suggested that leaked questions could account for nearly 600 marks in the examination.
This significantly escalated concerns because NEET is one of India’s most competitive examinations, with lakhs of aspirants competing for limited medical seats every year.
What has the NTA said?
Initially, the NTA denied social media claims about a paper leak and described viral videos and posts as misleading.
Later, however, the agency acknowledged that it had received inputs related to suspected malpractice and said that the matter had been referred to central investigative agencies.
The NTA stated that:
The examination was conducted under “multi-layered security protocols.”
It would not “pre-judge” the ongoing inquiry.
Any further action would depend on the outcome of the investigation.
Rajasthan SOG investigation
The Rajasthan Police SOG is currently leading one of the major probes into the controversy.
According to reports, investigators are:
- Tracing the origin of the alleged leaked material.
- Examining whether organized interstate networks were involved.
- Investigating the circulation trail of the suspected paper.
- Conducting searches in Rajasthan and Dehradun.
- Looking into reports that similar material appeared in Maharashtra as well.
Authorities are also trying to determine whether the matching questions were coincidental predictions or evidence of an actual leak.
Reports of exam cancellation and re-test
As per official reports, the NEET-UG 2026 examination has been cancelled and will be conducted again following allegations of a paper leak.
According to these reports:
The cancellation decision was allegedly approved by the Government of India.
A fresh examination would be conducted to maintain fairness and exam integrity.
However, since the situation is rapidly evolving, students have been advised to rely only on official notifications from the NTA and government authorities for confirmation and scheduling details.
The allegations have gained enormous attention because of the scale and importance of NEET.
Connection with the 2024 NEET paper leak case
The 2026 controversy has drawn immediate comparisons with the NEET-UG 2024 scandal, which had reached the Supreme Court and triggered a CBI investigation.
In 2024:
The Supreme Court acknowledged that paper leaks had occurred in Patna and Hazaribagh
Multiple arrests were made across Bihar, Jharkhand, Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan.
The CBI investigated organized cheating and impersonation rackets.
Despite irregularities, the Supreme Court refused to cancel the entire NEET-UG 2024 exam, stating there was insufficient evidence of a “systemic breach” affecting the whole examination.
The court had also emphasized that cancelling the exam for more than 24 lakh students would have severe consequences unless widespread compromise was clearly proven.
Legal implications
After the 2024 controversy, the government strengthened anti-paper leak measures through the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024.
Under the law:
- Organised paper leak rackets can face up to 10 years in prison.
- Heavy monetary penalties can also be imposed.
- Leaking, distributing, or using leaked exam papers is classified as a serious criminal offence.
- If the allegations in NEET 2026 are proven, authorities may invoke provisions of this law against those involved.
Several key developments are expected in the coming days:
- Investigators will determine whether the similarities between the “guess paper” and the actual NEET paper are statistically suspicious or evidence of a leak.
- Authorities may analyze candidate performance data to identify unusual score patterns.
- If a criminal network is established, more arrests could follow across states.
- The government and NTA may decide whether a nationwide re-test is necessary.
- The matter could again reach the Supreme Court if students challenge the fairness of the examination process.
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