A fresh controversy has erupted around NEET-UG 2026, after investigators in Rajasthan began probing allegations that exam questions may have been circulated before last week’s medical entrance test, renewing anxieties over the integrity of one of India’s most competitive examinations.
The exam was conducted by the National Testing Agency on May 3, and is taken annually by lakhs of students seeking admission to medical colleges across India. But within days of the test, allegations surfaced that a so-called “guess paper” had been distributed ahead of the exam and contained a significant number of questions that closely resembled those that appeared in the actual test.
According to investigators from Rajasthan Police’s Special Operations Group (SOG), the circulated document reportedly included around 410 questions, with officials examining claims that 100 to 120 questions matched the final NEET paper. The material is believed to have circulated through WhatsApp groups roughly 42 hours before the examination, prompting concerns that the issue may go beyond routine coaching predictions and point to organised malpractice.
The Rajasthan SOG has reportedly detained and questioned 13 individuals as part of its investigation and is exploring possible links to networks operating in Rajasthan, Uttarakhand and Maharashtra. Authorities are attempting to determine whether the circulation stemmed from a coordinated leak operation or from coaching networks that produced an unusually accurate prediction paper.
The National Testing Agency has denied that a confirmed paper leak took place and has defended the examination process, saying strict security measures were in place. Officials said exam papers were transported in GPS-enabled vehicles, protected through unique watermarks, monitored through AI-enabled CCTV surveillance and safeguarded using biometric verification systems and signal jammers at test centres.
The agency said it first received reports of possible malpractice on May 7 and referred the matter to central agencies the following day. It has said further action will depend on the findings of the ongoing investigation.
The controversy has quickly drawn political attention. Rahul Gandhi criticised the government over the allegations and said repeated exam controversies were undermining students’ trust in the system.
The developments have revived memories of the 2024 NEET controversy, when confirmed irregularities and leak allegations led to nationwide protests, court intervention and a federal investigation.
