NEET-UG held on May 3 cancelled after Rajasthan paper leak, CBI probe ordered

The NEET-UG 2026 exam, which was conducted on May 3, has been cancelled over allegations of a paper leak. The government has ordered a CBI probe into the allegations with the National Testing Agency saying dates for the re-exam will be announced soon.

In Short

• NEET UG 2026 held on May 3 cancelled after ‘guess paper’ leak, CBI probe ordered
• NTA says exam integrity compromised, re-exam dates to be announced soon
• No fresh registration needed, fees refunded, old centres remain valid

The NEET-UG 2026 examination, conducted on May 3 for admissions into undergraduate medical programmes, was cancelled on Tuesday following reports of a paper leak. The National Testing Agency said that information collected by law enforcement agencies had indicated that the "present examination process could not be allowed to stand". The agency said that the exam would be reconnected, the dates for which would be announced in the coming days.

Around 22 lakh students had appeared for NEET UG 2026, making it one of the largest entrance exams in the country.

Tuesday's announcement follows developments in Rajasthan, where the state police's Special Operations Group had been probing allegations that the NEET-UG question paper had leaked just days before the May 3 examination.

According to the SOG probe, details of which emerged over the last two days, a set of handwritten questions that were purportedly part of a "guess paper" (a question bank meant for last-minute practice) partially matched the actual exam paper. Around 140 questions, worth 600 marks of the total 720, that appeared in the actual exam were found to be similar to the handwritten paper that circulated two to three days before the examination.

On Sunday, the NTA said it was aware of a probe being conducted by the Rajasthan Police into "alleged irregularities around NEET (UG) 2026". The agency also said that it was in fact the NTA that had received inputs about "alleged malpractice" just days after the examination and that it had alerted the relevant law enforcement agencies.

On Tuesday, two days after that statement, the NTA cancelled the examination altogether.

WHY NEET UG 2026 WAS CANCELLED

According to the National Testing Agency, the decision was taken after reviewing inputs shared by law enforcement agencies. These findings indicated that the examination process may have been compromised.

In its official statement, NTA said the exam “could not be allowed to stand” after considering all evidence. The move, it added, was necessary to maintain transparency and credibility in the national testing system.

CBI TO PROBE ‘GUESS PAPER’ LEAK, 45 DETAINED

The Government of India has handed over the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation for a comprehensive inquiry.

The agency will investigate how the alleged ‘guess paper’ circulated before the exam and whether organised malpractice was involved. NTA has said it will fully cooperate by sharing all records, data, and materials required for the probe.

In Rajasthan alone, over 45 people have reportedly been detained so far in connection with the NEET paper leak investigation. Initial inputs suggest the leaked ‘guess paper’ may have originated from a printing press, raising serious concerns about internal security lapses.

Sources indicate a handwritten version of the question paper was circulated, pointing to a possible leak during the printing stage.

WHAT NTA SAID ON RE-EXAM

NTA confirmed that NEET UG 2026 will be conducted again, with fresh dates to be announced soon through official channels.

The agency also acknowledged that the re-exam will cause inconvenience to students and families, but stressed that continuing with a compromised exam would have caused greater long-term damage to trust.

NO FRESH REGISTRATION, FEES TO BE REFUNDED

Students will not have to apply again for the re-exam. Existing data will be used.

• Registration details and candidature will be carried forward
• Previously selected exam centres will remain valid
• No additional examination fee will be charged
• Fees already paid will be refunded
• Fresh admit cards will be issued before the new exam

WHAT STUDENTS SHOULD DO NOW

Candidates should rely only on official updates from NTA and avoid misinformation circulating on social media. With new dates expected soon, students may need to rework their preparation strategy and stay exam-ready.

BIGGER IMPACT ON TRUST IN EXAMS

The cancellation once again puts the spotlight on exam security in India. NEET is one of the most competitive exams, and any leak directly impacts fairness for lakhs of aspirants.

By cancelling the exam and ordering a CBI probe, authorities are signalling zero tolerance for malpractice and attempting to restore confidence in the system.

For now, the focus shifts to the re-exam and the outcome of the investigation. While the decision has added pressure on students, it also underlines the importance of a fair and credible examination process.

(With inputs from Sharat Kumar)

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