In a major development, the Delhi Police Crime Branch has arrested Santosh Kumar Jaiswal, the RJD National Secretary, in connection with the 2026 National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET)-Undergraduate (UG) leak.
Jaiswal, leader of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), has been accused of exam fraud, where he allegedly duped NEET aspirants and their families of securing seats in MBBS colleges. He also promised them of providing NEET-UG examination’s question paper before the actual exam was conducted. Jaiswal and his gang allegedly asked for ₹20-₹30 lakhs for one medical seat.
The NEET UG exam cancelled
The NEET-UG exam 2026, conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA), was cancelled on May 12 after a “guess paper” with the same questions as the original exam was detected. Hence, the NTA announced the cancellation on the basis of this alleged leak, dismaying over 22 lakh students who wrote the exam on May 3.
This leaked “guess paper” reportedly comprised the same 90 Biology questions and 45 Chemistry questions which were present in the actual NEET-UG exam.
Authorities informed that this leaked paper was circulated via WhatsApp and Telegram groups, named “Private Mafia”.
The leak was first reported by a chemistry teacher, who taught at a NEET coaching centre in Sikar, Rajasthan.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is probing this leak, which involves perpetrators from multiple states.
The NEET-UG is a single-level entrance exam, held annually, for undergraduate admissions to both government and private medical colleges nationwide.
The courses include MBBS, BDS (dental), BAMS and BHMS (Ayush studies), BVSc & AH (Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry), along with BSc Nursing.
Complex multi-state network involved
As per reports, the exam leak began from a printing press in Nashik (Maharashtra), from where the question paper was provided to a Gurugram (Haryana) doctor via Rajasthan-based (Jaipur and Sikar) intermediaries. The accused doctor then circulated the alleged paper to students.
5 people arrested by the CBI
The CBI has intercepted 5 suspects in connection with the exam leak from Jaipur, Gurugram and Nashik.
The authorities informed about the arrest, stating that, “Among those arrested are three individuals from Jaipur: Mangilal Biwal, Vikas Biwal, and Dinesh Biwal, along with Yash Yadav from Gurugram and Shubham Khairnar from Nashik. Several other suspects are being questioned in various cities and may be arrested later.”
How one whistleblower exposed the leak
The Sikar chemistry teacher was the one who brought the NEET-UG leak scam to light. He was shown a widely circulated “guess paper” by his landlord, which upon his investigation, had the same questions as in the real exam as mentioned before.
At midnight (1:30 am) of May 4, the anonymous tutor had attempted to file a complaint of the NEET exam leak in the Udyog Nagar Police Station (Sikar) but in vain.
When he couldn’t file a police complaint, he wrote an email to the NTA and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) with the evidence he had.
Thereafter, further investigation into his claims was ensued by the Rajasthan Special Operations Group and the local police.
Fortunately, action was taken before the truth could be buried and the exam was cancelled.
Re-examination dates of NEET-UG 2026 are yet to be announced by the NTA.
Plea in the Supreme Court
On this matter of NEET exam leak, the Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) has filed a petition in the Supreme Court to either restructure or replace the NTA with a “more robust, technologically advanced, and autonomous body” for conducting the medical entrance test.
The petition includes the NTA, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the CBI as respondents.
NEET hybrid examination model under spotlight
Given the recurring issue of NEET exam leak, a hybrid mode of conducting the examination is being discussed. This model was recommended by the Radhakrishnan Committee, where the question paper will be printed on the day of the exam, sent digitally to centres across the country.
This method would serve as a “golden mean” between offline and computer-based exam, since conducting a fully online computer-based exam for 22 lakh students would be unworkable.
The NTA points out the infrastructural and logistical constraints in conducting a fully computer-based exam at national level.
