Same Exam, Old Nightmare: NEET 2026 cancelled, paper-leak probe, NTA reform, re-neet – the story so far

NEET 2026 Cancelled: With the dust from the rampant malpractices and mismanagement in the 2024 edition of the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) barely settled, reports are rife that the latest iteration of the high-stakes medical admissions test, NEET UG 2026, has also been compromised. The National Testing Agency (NTA), which kept swearing by the sanctity of the exam, even at the height of widespread paper leaks two years ago, was quick not only to acknowledge the ongoing probe into alleged irregularities by the Rajasthan police but also to announce an unprecedented retest – “re-NEET” – for over 22 lakh aspirants.

Days after NEET UG 2026 was held on May 3, the Special Operations Group (SOG) of the Rajasthan Police began investigating what it suspects to be a case of paper leak before the test. The probe, which saw the cops detain and question multiple persons across the coaching hubs of Sikar and Kota as well as Jaipur and Jhunjhunu districts in Rajasthan and Dehradun, unearthed a handwritten ‘guess paper’ containing 600 questions, 120 of which were strikingly similar to the ones in the actual NEET 2026 question paper. While the investigators are yet to ascertain whether this is an actual ‘leak’ or an odd coincidence, they believe that the question bank originated from Sikar and reached aspirants in Maharashtra, Gujarat and Kerala.

Meanwhile, NTA, while noting the Rajasthan probe, also reported having received what it termed as “inputs concerning alleged malpractice activity around the examination”, which were then shared with central agencies for verification and necessary action. On Tuesday, the testing body announced the cancellation of the exam, asserting that the inputs received by NTA and the findings of law enforcement agencies establish that the test “could not be allowed to stand”. It also informed that the centre has decided to bring in the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to examine the allegations of leak.

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New NEET paper leak probe; old nightmare

For the students, the paper leak has brought back the harrowing memories of the mess that was the NEET 2024, where multiple instances of alleged irregularities, including paper leak, tampering with answer sheets and deployment of dummy candidates, were reported in Bihar, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Rajasthan. The result, which was declared much before the scheduled date, also raised eyebrows as an improbable 67 candidates were awarded the perfect score amid an overall inflation in scores. Six of these candidates had taken the test at a single centre in Haryana’s Bahadurgarh, fuelling the apprehensions of malpractice.

The NTA’s admission of awarding ‘grace’ marks to 1,563 candidates at certain centres due to time loss and ambiguity over the correct answer to a physics question had further caused resentment among the candidates. The pleas for scrapping the exam had reached the Supreme Court (SC), which eventually ruled against them, noting that the breach in the exam system was localised. A retest, though, was conducted for the candidates who were given the compensatory marks.

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Re-NEET 2026: Govt attempt at exam, NTA reform

In the aftermath of the controversy, the central government had formed a seven-member “high-level” expert committee to suggest reforms in NTA and the way it holds the national-level competitive exams. The panel, led by the former Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chairman, had suggested a ‘hybrid’ computer-assisted pen-and-paper test mode, where question papers would be delivered digitally at the exam centres, while advocating for a complete transition to computer-based testing (CBT).

Among other recommendations, it had also suggested that the large exams such as NEET be staggered over multiple sessions and days. The committee also proposed using Aadhaar, biometrics, and artificial intelligence (AI) analytics to authenticate candidates' identities at various stages of the exam process. It also asked the government to prioritise using its own institutes and staff to conduct the exam, rather than outsourcing them to private agencies and personnel.

Last year, the centre assured SC of adopting most of the suggestions made by the expert committee. At least some of these measures are already being rolled out. The Times of India has reported that the centre has created 16 new posts at NTA to build its in-house capacity and reduce the dependence on temporary staff. A high-level steering committee has been established to monitor the implementation of reforms, while the exam protocols are being standardised across formats.

The education and health ministry explored shifting NEET to online mode, even as the exam was eventually conducted in pen-and-paper format. And, as a parliamentary panel report noted in December last year, almost 94% of exam centres have been moved to government or government-aided institutions.

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NEET 2026 Cancelled: NTA’s security measures

While informing about the current exam breach, NTA had also sought to highlight some of the stringent security measures it had adopted for the test. These include the transportation of question papers in GPS-tracked vehicles with unique traceable watermark identifiers, AI-assisted CCTV cameras and 5G jammers in exam centres and biometric verification of candidates.

And it was hardly a month ago that the testing body got a new director general, Abhishek Singh, a seasoned Indian Administrative Services (IAS) officer, who brought the National Informatics Centre (NIC), India AI Mission, MyGov, National e-Governance Division and Digital India Corporation bonafides with him.

While NTA hasn’t divulged any details of the alleged breach, and the findings of the law-enforcement agencies, it said that a fresh exam is being conducted to ensure “transparency” in the system and “in the interest of students”. The agency is also yet to announce the re-NEET date, but said that the candidates’ registration data, and examination centres opted by them for the May 2026 NEET exam will be carried forward. No fresh registration is required and no additional exam fee will be levied, it said

“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,” reads a post by NTA on X (formerly Twitter).