NEET UG 2026 May 3 exam cancelled amid paper leak allegations; revised dates soon, says NTA

The National Testing Agency (NTA) has cancelled the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test, NEET UG 2026. The exam was conducted on May 3 for over 22 lakh medical aspirants. Soon after the examination concluded at 5 pm, allegations of a paper leak surfaced on social media. The matter escalated further when around 120 questions in the exam allegedly matched the guess papers distributed in Rajasthan over Telegram. NEET UG 2026 Live updates.

NTA said suspicious inputs received after the examination were immediately forwarded to central agencies for verification. The agency, however, earlier defended the conduct of the medical entrance examination, stating that the test was held under strict monitoring and security arrangements across India and abroad.

In a post on platform X, NTA said, "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."

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NTA's official post on NEET UG 2026 cancellation

CBI to conduct a detailed inquiry

The matter is now with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for a detailed inquiry into the allegations. NTA said it would fully cooperate with the agency and provide all necessary records, materials, and support required for the investigation.

The decision to reconduct NEET was made keeping students’ interests in mind and to maintain confidence in the national examination system. NTA said that a re-exam would create difficulties for candidates and their families, but added that not taking action could have harmed the credibility of the examination process even more.

"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," NTA tweeted.

Also read Re-NEET 2026 sparks student anger against NTA

NTA to refund exam fee

The registration details, candidature, and exam centres selected by candidates for the May 2026 exam will remain valid for the re-conducted examination. Students will not have to register again or pay any extra examination fee. The fees already paid by candidates will also be refunded, and the exam will be conducted again using NTA’s internal resources.

Further announcements, including the new examination dates and revised admit card schedule, will be shared through the official channels of the National Testing Agency.

Also read NEET UG 2026 Tie-Breaking Rule Explained: Here’s how ranks are decided

Paper leak triggers political row

Rahul Gandhi criticised the Centre over the alleged NEET UG 2026 paper leak, claiming that “NEET is now an auction” and alleging that questions were sold on WhatsApp before the exam. His remarks came after the Rajasthan Police Special Operations Group claimed that around 140 questions from a circulated “guess paper” matched the actual NEET UG 2026 paper. Several leaders, including Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Arvind Kejriwal, Mallikarjun Kharge, and Ashok Gehlot, also raised concerns over alleged exam irregularities and accused the government of failing to prevent paper leaks.

This is not the first time that allegations of irregularities surfaced in NEET UG. In 2024, similar claims of a question paper leak emerged from some examination centres in Bihar and Jharkhand. The controversy later led to widespread protests, intervention by the Supreme Court of India, and a detailed investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation.

Candidates and parents have been advised to follow only official updates and ignore unverified information circulating on social media.