DistantNews
Support us
🇮🇳 India /Crime & Justice

NEET Paper Leak: Entire NTA Committee Under CBI Scanner After Second Insider Arrested

From Hindustan Times · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • The CBI has widened its investigation into the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak, with the entire paper-setting committee now under scrutiny.
  • A second insider, botany teacher Manisha Gurunath Mandhare, was arrested for allegedly leaking questions before the exam.
  • Investigators believe this is the first time a leak has originated from within the NTA itself, with two sets of leaked papers identified.

The integrity of India's crucial medical entrance exam, NEET-UG, has been severely compromised, with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) now casting a wide net over the National Testing Agency (NTA). The arrest of a second insider, a botany teacher involved in setting the paper, signals a deep-seated problem within the examination system.

The entire committee that set the paper and other senior officers of NTA are under the scanner.

— senior Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officialIndicating the scope of the investigation into the NEET paper leak.

This development is particularly alarming as investigators suggest this is the first instance where a paper leak has been traced directly to the NTA's internal mechanisms. The implication is that individuals entrusted with safeguarding the examination process may have actively facilitated cheating, betraying the trust of millions of aspiring students.

This is the first time in paper leak probes we have found the source of leak at NTA.

— second CBI officerHighlighting the unprecedented nature of the leak originating from within the NTA.

The CBI's focus on the entire paper-setting committee and senior NTA officials indicates a systemic failure. The agency's meticulous work in identifying two distinct sets of leaked papers—one handwritten and one typed—suggests a sophisticated operation. The arrest of Manisha Gurunath Mandhare, who allegedly conducted special coaching classes for selected students, further points to a pre-meditated leak designed to benefit specific candidates.

During classes, Mandhare explained and disclosed various questions from Botany and Zoology subjects and made the students note down the same in their notebooks and also mark in their text books. Majority of these questions tallied with the actual question paper of NEET-UG 2026 examination held on May 3.

— CBIDescribing how the leaked questions were allegedly disseminated to students.

This scandal not only undermines the fairness of the NEET-UG exam but also raises serious questions about the NTA's ability to conduct credible national-level examinations. The repercussions extend beyond the immediate investigation, potentially impacting the trust students and parents place in the examination process. The CBI's swift action is crucial to restore confidence and ensure that such breaches do not occur again.

part of an organised paper leak gang

— CBIDescribing the accused PV Kulkarni and Manisha Waghmare.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Hindustan Times in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog