NEET UG 2026 Exam Cancelled: The National Testing Agency (NTA) on Tuesday announced the cancellation of NEET UG 2026, conducted on May 3, after investigations found that several questions similar to those in the actual exam paper had been circulated before the test.
In its official statement, the NTA said the decision was taken with the approval of the Government of India after inputs received in coordination with central agencies and findings shared by law enforcement authorities established that the examination process "could not be allowed to stand." The exam will now be re-conducted on revised dates, which will be notified later.
The agency clarified that candidates will not be required to re-register or pay any additional fee. All applications, candidature details, and exam centre preferences from the May 2026 cycle will remain valid. The re-conduct schedule and admit card updates will be issued through official channels.
The matter has now been formally referred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (Central Bureau of Investigation), which will conduct a comprehensive probe. The NTA said it will extend full cooperation and share all relevant records and materials. Until now, the case was being jointly examined by multiple agencies, including the Rajasthan Special Operations Group (Rajasthan Special Operations Group) and other law enforcement units.
First complete cancellation since 2019 takeover
This is the first time since NTA took over NEET UG conduct in 2019 that the medical entrance examination has been completely scrapped. In 2024, the exam was partially re-conducted for over 1,563 candidates following discrepancies in marks, triggering scrutiny of the agency's functioning.
The latest development has further intensified questions over exam security and the credibility of the testing system.
Arrests so far and key accused
According to officials, Rajasthan SOG has arrested at least 15 people in connection with the alleged paper leak. Those arrested include Manish Yadav and Rakesh Mandwaria, with Mandwaria suspected of links to a consultancy centre in Sikar.
Separately, the Nashik Crime Branch (Nashik Crime Branch) arrested Shubham Khairnar, a BAMS student, as part of its parallel investigation.
All arrested individuals have been handed over to the CBI following the central agency's takeover of the probe.
Timeline of the Alleged Paper Leak
The paper was reportedly in circulation about 45 hours before the examination. It reached several students in Sikar, as well as those in Jaipur's outskirts and rural coaching hubs. The leak was allegedly carried out by a gang based in Haryana.
- May 2: The matter came to light on May 2 at around 11 pm, when a student from Sikar, studying in Kerala, allegedly sent the paper to his father, who is a hostel owner.
- May 3: The father, who runs a hostel in Sikar, filed a complaint with the Udyog Nagar police station and the National Testing Agency (NTA). He stated that a large number of students had received a suspicious "question bank/guess paper," making him a whistleblower.
- May 6-7: Online chats and discussions related to the exam and answer key began surfacing. Students and coaching centres started referring to a "question bank" that reportedly had several similarities with the actual NEET paper.
- May 7: The NTA said it received an email with a PDF alleging irregularities four days after the exam. According to the agency, the complaint originated from Rajasthan.
- May 8: The NTA handed over the investigation to central agencies.
- May 10: The Rajasthan Police Special Operations Group (Rajasthan Special Operations Group) officially began its probe into the NEET paper leak case. By May 12, 13 people had been arrested from Sikar and nearby areas.
Probe trail as per investigators
Investigators traced the network from Sikar to Jaipur, where two individuals from Jamwaramgarh were allegedly found to have purchased the paper for Rs 15 lakh and supplied it further to Sikar-based contacts. This group is believed to have expanded the distribution network beyond Sikar.
The Jamwaramgarh duo reportedly claimed they sourced the material from Haryana, leading investigators further into the network.
In Haryana, authorities detained a medical student suspected of being part of an organised gang involved in the leak.
The probe was then extended further to Maharashtra, where a person in Nashik was found in possession of a handwritten copy of the paper. He also reportedly identified an accomplice in Pune, who is currently being traced.
Investigators believe these links indicate that the alleged leak network extended across multiple states, including Rajasthan, Haryana, and Maharashtra.
NTA's official position
The NTA said the decision to cancel the exam was taken in the interest of students and to preserve the credibility of the national examination system. It acknowledged that the re-conduct would cause inconvenience but said continuing with the existing process would have caused "greater and more lasting damage" to institutional trust.
The agency also reiterated that all further communication, including revised exam dates and admit card schedules, will be issued only through official platforms, urging candidates to rely on verified sources and avoid unverified social media reports.