NEET UG 2026 Paper Leak Case: What We Know So Far; A Timeline Of Events

New Delhi: The National Testing Agency (NTA) on Tuesday (May 12) cancelled NEET UG 2026, which was conducted on May 3, 2026, after serious allegations surfaced regarding a suspected paper leak and the widespread circulation of “guess papers” that allegedly overlapped significantly with the actual question paper.

The government has also referred the matter to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for a detailed investigation.

Here’s a complete timeline of events in the NEET UG 2026 row

May 3: NEET UG 2026 held across India

NTA conducted NEET UG 2026 was conducted on May 3 for over 22 lakh medical aspirants across the country. NTA said the exam was conducted under “full security protocol”, including: GPS-tracked paper transport, biometric verification, AI-assisted CCTV monitoring, and 5G jammers at centres.

May 4: 3 people arrested

Three people were arrested, including an MBBS student, by Nalanda Police in an NEET entrance exam cheating racket, according to news agency IANS. However, at this time, the NTA had not indicated any irregularities in the exam conducted.

May 5: 'Private Mafia' video viral

A video went viral claiming to show screenshots and conversations related to a leaked NEET UG question paper. It was dismissed by the National Testing Agency as “fake.”

May 6-7: Aspirants spot similarities in questions

After the answer keys started circulating online, discussions among students and coaching circles started regarding an alleged “guess paper” that reportedly resembled the actual exam.

According to investigators, a handwritten practice bank or “guess paper” had allegedly been circulating before the exam, especially in Rajasthan. Questions were raised over how many questions appeared strikingly similar to the actual paper.

May 7: NTA receives input about alleged irregularities

The NTA confirmed that it received inputs regarding alleged irregularities on May 7, four days after the examination. The agency said the matter was flagged from Rajasthan and Uttarakhand.

May 8: Matter escalated to central agencies

The NTA escalated the matter to central agencies for “independent verification and necessary action”. NTA said it was cooperating with investigators and sharing examination-related data and technical inputs.

May 10: Rajasthan SOG probe becomes public

Rajasthan Police’s Special Operations Group (SOG) publicly confirmed it had launched an investigation into alleged malpractices linked to NEET UG 2026. Officials said investigators had found a set of over 400 questions circulated before the exam.

Additional DGP Vishal Bansal said more than 100 Biology and Chemistry questions showed “striking similarities” to the current paper. Investigators began searches and enquiries across Sikar, other Rajasthan cities, and Dehradun.

However, authorities continued to say that the probe was ongoing and no final conclusion had yet been reached on whether the exam had been fully compromised.

May 12: NTA cancels NEET UG 2026

On May 12, the NTA officially cancelled NEET UG 2026. The agency announced that the exam would be conducted again on fresh dates to be announced later, triggering student protests and opposition parties slamming the government.

Nashik City Crime Branch arrested a young man identified as Shubham Khairnar from the Indira Nagar area of Maharashtra’s Nashik. According to reports, the arrest was carried out following specific inputs shared by the Rajasthan Police.

So far, nine arrests have been made across five states, while nearly 45 people have been detained or questioned in connection with the case, reports said.

May 13: Plea in Supreme Court to replace NTA

The Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) has moved the Supreme Court challenging “systemic failure” of the National Testing Agency (NTA) in conducting NEET-UG 2026, reported Live Law.

The petition seeks directions to replace or fundamentally restructure the NTA and to conduct a fresh NEET-UG 2026 examination under judicial supervision.