Fresh allegations surrounding NEET-UG 2026 have thrust India's most contested medical entrance examination back into the spotlight — and back into a pattern that has repeated itself, in different forms, for over a decade.
The Centre has cancelled the May 3 exam and announced it will be re-conducted on dates to be notified, as the Rajasthan Police Special Operations Group probes claims that a "guess paper" circulating before the exam allegedly matched several questions in the actual paper.
The government has further decided to refer the matter to the Central Bureau of Investigation for a comprehensive inquiry into the allegations.
The NTA has maintained that the examination was conducted under "full security protocol". Investigators have clarified the probe remains at a preliminary stage. But the controversy has done what these controversies always do — revived memories of everything that came before.
2015: Supreme Court Cancels AIPMT
The All India Pre-Medical Test — the national precursor to NEET — was cancelled in its entirety by the Supreme Court after a large-scale paper leak was established. It was among the first times India's highest court had intervened to void a national medical entrance exam outright.
2016: NEET-II Allegations
Petitions reached the Supreme Court alleging that NEET-II question papers had been circulated before the examination.
Petitioners demanded a re-test and a formal investigation. But, authorities denied any leak, saying seized material did not match the original paper. Unlike 2015, the court declined to directly monitor the probe and allowed local police to continue. The exam was not cancelled.
2020–2021: The 'Solver Gang' Era
Impersonation rackets and solver gangs emerged as the dominant form of NEET malpractice across Tamil Nadu, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.
Candidates were allegedly replaced by proxies, biometric systems manipulated and answers supplied electronically. These cases did not always involve confirmed question paper leaks, but they exposed deep vulnerabilities in how the examination was physically conducted and monitored on the ground.
2024: Students' Protest, CBI And The Supreme Court
The worst scandal in NEET's history unravelled after the May 5, 2024 examination. Bihar Police registered an FIR on the day of the exam itself after a paper leak racket was uncovered in Patna, with candidates allegedly paying Rs 30–50 lakh each for advance access to the question paper.
The CBI traced the leak to a school's strong room in Hazaribagh, Jharkhand, where accused persons photographed the question paper, resealed the packet and distributed solved answers to candidates across multiple cities before the exam had begun.
The results — declared 10 days ahead of schedule — set off a fresh storm. Sixty-seven students scored a perfect 720, up from just two the previous year, with six toppers appearing from the same exam centre in Haryana. Scores of 718 and 719 appeared on merit lists, marks students and teachers said were mathematically impossible under the marking scheme.
The NTA chief was removed. The case went to the Supreme Court, which acknowledged the leak had taken place and benefited at least 155 candidates but declined to order a full nationwide re-examination, finding insufficient evidence of a systemic, countrywide compromise.
2025: Action Against 250 MBBS Students
In the aftermath of 2024, the government moved against more than 250 MBBS students and aspirants allegedly linked to unfair practices — including solving leaked papers and impersonation. The action was part of a broader crackdown, but critics noted it addressed consequences rather than causes.
How NTA Lost its Credibility After 2024
The NTA, which conducts NEET, repeatedly denied allegations of a widespread paper leak in the initial stages of the controversy.
The agency maintained that the examination process remained secure and that isolated incidents should not be interpreted as evidence of a nationwide compromise. However, the controversy led to intense political debate, protests by students and demands for reforms in examination systems.
ALSO READ: NEET UG 2026 Cancelled: Fresh Exam To Be Conducted, Centre Orders CBI Probe — Read Full Statement
Questions were also raised over examination logistics, transportation of question papers, security protocols and monitoring mechanisms. The issue eventually became part of a larger national discussion around the credibility of competitive examinations in India.
2026: The Pattern Holds
Now, with NEET-UG 2026 cancelled and a fresh investigation underway, the same questions are being asked again — about transportation of question papers, security protocols, digital monitoring and accountability within the NTA.
The controversy has once again become the centre-piece of a national debate about whether India's examination infrastructure is structurally capable of protecting the futures of the millions of students who sit these tests every year.
ALSO READ: NEET Cancelled, CBI Probe Ordered; Re-Exam Dates to Be Announced
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