NEET UG 2026: NTA says viral Telegram paper leak claims are false, warns of legal action

The National Testing Agency (NTA) has denied allegations question paper leak in the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test UG 2026 re-examination after a post on X claimed that the paper was circulated on a private Telegram channel. The viral post alleged that the re-NEET question paper was sold for Rs 25,000 on a private Telegram group. It claimed that over 100 candidates had purchased it. Re-NEET response sheet LIVE updates.

This comes after a user shared screenshots showing pages of the question paper carrying Telegram watermarks and described the examination as unfair. The post drew attention on social media, and several users demanded an investigation into the matter.

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Responding to the allegations, NTA issued a statement through its official X handle and urged users not to spread rumours. The agency said that the question paper ID visible in the shared images would be verified to identify the candidate to whom the paper was originally issued during the June 21 re-examination.

"Please don't spread rumours. The ID on the image is visible and we will verify the student to whom this question paper was issued during the exam on 21st June. Faking such videos on the Telegram platform is a criminal offence and action will be taken against the concerned," NTA said.

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No breach of security

NTA did not confirm any breach of examination security and maintained that it would investigate the matter. It also warned that creating or circulating fabricated content related to June 21 examination could invite legal action.

The allegations surfaced days after the NTA released the provisional answer key for the NEET UG 2026 re-examination. Candidates can challenge the provisional answer key by paying the prescribed fee by June 28.

Telegram Ban

Ahead of the NEET UG 2026 re-examination held on June 21, access to Telegram in India was temporarily restricted until June 22, while its message-editing feature will remain banned until June 30. The restrictions were imposed under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act following recommendations from the NTA and the Department of Higher Education to curb misinformation and alleged cheating rackets. The NTA said several Telegram channels falsely claimed to offer leaked question papers and welcomed the restrictions as a measure to ensure the fair conduct of the exam.