NEET UG 2026 leak probe traces guess paper trail from Kerala student to Rajasthan network

The origins of a guess paper containing questions similar to those asked in NEET-UG 2026 medical exam were traced to a student from Rajasthan's Sikar pursuing MBBS in Kerala who went on to share it with his friends and a hostel owner, a senior official of the state's Special Operation's Group said. IG, Special Operations Group (SOG), Ajay Pal Lamba said the student first received the material from a friend and shared it with others in Sikar. The document subsequently reached several coaching students and later reached candidates in Jaipur and nearby areas before the exam that was held on May 3.

Another official said the student from Kerala forwarded the guess paper with a hostel owner in Sikar and some of his friends. The hostel owner shared the guess papers to students living in the hostel, saying it could be helpful. However, the hostel owner himself later tipped off the local police about the guess paper. He had informed that a question bank had been distributed among a large number of students. Officials said the material was allegedly routed through a person based in Haryana's Gurugram before reaching Rajasthan. Acting on inputs regarding rumours of a NEET paper leak, joint teams of police from Sikar, Jhunjhunu, Alwar, Jaipur City, Jaipur Rural and the SOG questioned more than 150 candidates, along with their friends and parents.

"The investigation revealed that the paper had allegedly reached certain individuals in Rajasthan before the commencement of the examination," the official said. Lamba said the findings were shared with the National Testing Agency (NTA), following which the Centre decided to cancel the NEET examination. The case was later taken over by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). A team from the CBI reached late Tuesday evening at the SOG office to take over the investigation.

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Statements and evidence collected during the probe have been shared with the CBI team. Several individuals are under suspicion for allegedly operating as part of an organised network, and their questioning is underway. More than two dozen suspects have been handed over to CBI, officials said, adding further action would depend on evidence emerging during the investigation. Police said most of the individuals questioned were either NEET aspirants or directly connected to candidates who appeared in the examination.

Investigators also found that the circulated PDF files contained around 45 chemistry questions and 90 biology questions with answers that allegedly matched the actual examination paper. A social group named 'Private Mafia' was also found in which the password protected PDF was circulated. Officials said no direct role of coaching institutes has surfaced in the investigation so far. After the examination, the hostel owner in Sikar lodged a complaint with the Udyog Nagar police station and the NTA, alleging that a "question bank" had been distributed among a large number of students.

"The material was circulated in Sikar under the guise of a guess question and was distributed through multiple channels, including a consultant and students," he said. When the SOG got inputs about the guess paper, senior officials, including ADG Vishal Bansal and IG Lamba, held a meeting in the SOG office on May 8 night and matched the original question paper, SOG sources said.

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On finding that many questions matched with the guess paper, the SOG swung into action and some people were detained the same night with the help of Sikar police. During questioning, they gave information about the other people to whom the guess paper was sent. A shop operator was also detained later from where some students had got prints of the guess paper.

The scope of investigation was broadened and more than 150 people, including students, parents and others were questioned. It is suspected that the paper leak happened from Nashik, the sources said. "Nashik police detained a man on information of the Rajasthan SOG. Further trail and network of the paper leak mafia is being investigated in detail," SOG sources said. No FIR has been registered in Rajasthan in the matter and the legal action will be taken by the CBI which is investigating the case, officials here said.