&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "CBI files FIR in NEET-UG 2026 paper leak; multi-state syndicate exposed")
In a major crackdown the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday (May 12) registered a formal FIR into the alleged paper leak and systemic irregularities surrounding the NEET-UG 2026 examination. The move follows the government’s unprecedented decision to scrap the May 3 medical entrance test, affecting over 22.7 lakh students across India and abroad. This appears to be one of the largest academic fraud networks in recent history.
The FIR, filed under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Prevention of Corruption Act, includes charges of criminal conspiracy, cheating, and destruction of evidence. It also invokes the stringent Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, a law specifically designed to tackle organised paper leak syndicates.
The investigation has uncovered a multi-state network stretching from Rajasthan to Maharashtra and Uttarakhand. According to news agency ANI, law enforcement agencies have already detained dozens of individuals suspected of participating in the syndicate.
In Nashik, the City Crime Branch arrested a suspect identified as Shubham Khairnar, who is believed to be a key link in the distribution chain. Meanwhile, the Rajasthan Police Special Operations Group (SOG) has questioned over 45 people in Sikar and Churu. Investigators believe the leak originated from a Churu-based MBBS student studying in Kerala, who allegedly transmitted the "guess paper" to associates in Sikar just days before the exam.
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At the heart of the probe is a "guess paper" that contained nearly 410 questions. Officials stated that approximately 120 questions, accounting for nearly 600 out of the 720 total marks matched perfectly with the leaked material. The document was allegedly sold through Telegram and WhatsApp groups for prices ranging from Rs30,000 on the eve of the test to as high as Rs5 lakh for early access. "This material began reaching students as early as 15 days before the examination," said Vishal Bansal, ADG of Rajasthan SOG, in a statement to the media.
The cancellation has triggered widespread student protests in the national capital. While the National Testing Agency (NTA) initially defended its AI-assisted CCTV monitoring and GPS-tracked transport protocols, it eventually conceded that the "integrity of the process could not be allowed to stand." The agency has announced that a fresh examination will be conducted on a date to be notified soon, with current registrations remaining valid for the re-test.
