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CBI takes over NEET-UG 2026 paper leak probe; paper sold for Rs 10-25 lakh across multiple states
The CBI assumed the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak probe after Rajasthan SOG said a leaked 'guess paper' containing the exam's questions was sold for Rs 10-25 lakh per copy across several states. The investigation traces the network across Rajasthan, Haryana, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand and Kerala, with earlier leads including May 3 exam leakage and subsequent police actions in Sikar and Nashik.
Why It Matters
The incident highlights concerns over exam integrity and cross-state criminal networks exploiting high-stakes tests, prompting central intervention and nationwide scrutiny of safeguarding measures.
Timeline
5 Events
May 12, 2026 – Nashik detention and cross-state links cited
May 12, 2026
In Nashik, police detained a 27-year-old from Nandgaon who had allegedly altered his appearance to evade detection. He allegedly received a consignment and forwarded it to someone in Gurgaon; Rajasthan Police were set to receive him when their team arrived in Nashik. Investigators noted a Haryana-based suspect obtained the paper from someone in Nashik, and the probe indicated the leak did not originate in Rajasthan.
May 12, 2026 – CBI takes over probe; FIR registered
May 12, 2026
The CBI took over the probe, registering an FIR based on a complaint from the Union education ministry's department of higher education. The agency stated charges including criminal conspiracy, cheating, criminal breach of trust, theft and destruction of evidence under appropriate statutes, and the Prevention of Corruption Act and Pre-examinations (Unfair Means) Act, 2024. A CBI team reached the SOG HQ in Jaipur late on Tuesday to question suspects.
May 8, 2026 – Detention of a key suspect by SOG
May 8, 2026
Rakesh Mandawaria, a 'paper solver' and consultant based in Sikar, was detained by the SOG after he bragged that about 120 questions from the guess paper were included in the NEET-UG exam; a coaching institute teacher filed a complaint at Sikar's Udyog Nagar police station.
May 7, 2026 – Sikar resident alerts authorities about guess paper
May 7, 2026
A Sikar resident ostensibly received the guess paper on May 7 and alerted local authorities, but the complaint was allegedly ignored, according to SOG sources.
May 3, 2026 – NEET-UG 2026 exam and alleged leak via a 'guess paper'
May 3, 2026
The NEET-UG 2026 exam was held on May 3. Investigators say the leaked question paper was disguised as a 'guess paper' containing over 400 questions, including all 90 biology and 45 chemistry questions from the May 3 exam, and was reportedly sold for Rs 10 lakh to Rs 25 lakh per copy across a network spanning Rajasthan, Haryana, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand and Kerala.