NEET UG 2026 Cancelled: The cancellation of NEET UG 2026 has triggered massive uncertainty among lakhs of medical aspirants across the country, with the National Testing Agency (NTA) and the Government of India deciding to scrap the May 3 examination following allegations of large-scale irregularities and inputs shared by investigative agencies.
According to the NTA, the decision was taken after findings examined in coordination with central agencies and law enforcement authorities indicated that the integrity of the examination process may have been compromised.
Similarity Between Questions
One of the biggest factors that reportedly raised suspicion was the alleged similarity between questions circulating before the examination and the actual paper conducted on May 3. Discussions surrounding the controversy claim that nearly 140 questions from the final paper appeared to match alleged leaked questions shared before the exam.
While no official confirmation has been issued regarding the exact number of matching questions, the scale of the alleged overlap intensified concerns over a possible organised leak network. Experts and students argued online that such a large overlap could not simply be dismissed as coincidence.
Malpractice links In Rajasthan
Another major issue was the emergence of alleged malpractice links centred around Rajasthan's Sikar region. Reports and investigation-linked discussions suggested that the suspected irregularities may have originated from or been concentrated around certain centres and coaching-linked networks operating in the area.
Telegram Paper Leak
The controversy deepened further after alleged Telegram videos, screenshots and question documents claiming to be linked to the NEET paper leak began circulating widely on social media platforms in the days following the examination.
According to the NTA, inputs regarding alleged malpractice activities were received on the late evening of May 7, four days after the exam was conducted. The agency said these inputs were immediately escalated to central agencies on May 8 for independent verification and further investigation.
The matter soon reached law enforcement agencies, with the Rajasthan Special Operations Group (SOG) initiating action in connection with the alleged irregularities. Detentions and investigation-related developments reported in the media further intensified pressure on authorities over the credibility of the examination.
The NTA maintained that the examination itself had been conducted under extensive security arrangements, including GPS-tracked transportation of question papers, AI-assisted CCTV surveillance, biometric verification of candidates and deployment of 5G jammers at centres. However, despite these measures, the agency ultimately concluded that the examination process "could not be allowed to stand" after reviewing investigative inputs.
Access To More Than One Question Paper?
Questions also emerged over whether multiple paper sets may have been accessed before the examination. One theory being widely discussed suggests that individuals linked to the alleged leak may have had access to more than one question paper set and circulated questions from both sets without knowing which would finally be used on exam day.
Although investigators are yet to publicly confirm the full extent of the alleged malpractice, the Government of India decided to cancel the examination entirely and hand over the matter to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for a comprehensive inquiry.
With the re-examination now expected to be announced soon, lakhs of students remain uncertain about the next phase of the admission process, while the ongoing investigation is expected to determine how widespread the alleged irregularities actually were.
