Neet exam cancelled: How ‘guess paper’ trail led NTA to order re-examination

The National Testing Agency (NTA) has cancelled the Neet (UG) 2026 examination.

The cancellation of India's biggest undergraduate medical entrance examination, which was held on May 3, comes amid alleged irregularities linked to the exam taken by over 22.7 lakh people.

The decision has spurred protests from the National Students' Union of India (NSUI) and criticism from the Opposition.

The NTA has said the results “could not be allowed to stand” after inputs from central agencies and law enforcement.

"On the basis of the inputs subsequently examined by NTA in coordination with the central agencies, and the investigative findings shared by the law enforcement agencies, the National Testing Agency, with the approval of the Government of India, has decided to cancel the Neet (UG) 2026 examination conducted on 3 May 2026," the NTA said.

More from Explainers

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In 2024, the Neet exam being cancelled had snowballed into a massive controversy, with protests from students and parents and even hearings in the Supreme Court.

What happened

As per News18, it all began after the exam was conducted on May 3.

The first complaints emanated from Rajasthan and Bihar that a ‘guess paper’ was doing the rounds on platforms like WhatsApp, Telegram, and student groups leading up to the exam. Sources told India Today that the ‘guess paper’ began circulating on May 1.

As per News18, it was students and coaching institutes that first flagged the overlap between the questions in the ‘guess paper’ and the Neet exam. The Rajasthan Police’s Special Operations Group then launched a probe into the ‘guess paper’. Of the 281 questions in the ‘guess paper’, 135 appeared in the May 3 Neet exam.

Investigators have said that all 90 Biology questions and all 45 Chemistry questions in the Neet exam were listed in the ‘guess paper’, which was handwritten

How the paper trail unfolded

Key person under probe

As per India Today, Rakesh Kumar Mandvaria, a medical admission counsellor based in Sikar, is now being investigated by the police. Investigators say that the ‘guess paper’ was first sent to his phone. It was this ‘question bank’ that began circulating across groups comprising students, coaching networks, and career counsellors, allegedly at the behest of Mandvaria. The question bank was being sold for between Rs 20,000 and Rs 2 lakh prior to the exam.

Mandvaria is said to have been operating a consultancy office in Sikar relating to counselling and admissions related to MBBS and other medical courses for the past few years. A resident of Sikar district’s Samarthpura village in Khandela tehsil, Mandvaria’s father Sundaram has passed away. His mother’s name is Kamla Devi. Mandvaria is the youngest of six siblings, including five brothers and a sister.

Reports said Mandvaria had begun studying Bachelor of Dental Surgery. However, it remains unclear if he has completed the course. His role in the case remains to be determined.

As per News18, Mandvaria is said to have filed a complaint over the question bank with the Udyog Nagar police station and the NTA. The Rajasthan Police’s Special Operations Group is now examining whether he filed the complaint out of fear of his alleged role in the scandal being uncovered.

What investigators are saying: ANI quoted Rajasthan SOG Additional Director General Vishal Bansal as saying that investigators were examining a guess paper containing approximately 410 questions, of which around 120 questions allegedly appeared in the Chemistry section of the Neet -UG 2026 examination. Bansal said the question bank had been circulating among students between 15 days and a month prior to the examination.

The Rajasthan Police has launched a probe into the alleged irregularities.

“It is a .pdf file of about 150 pages with over 400 questions. So, we are moving step by step – it is a labourious and painful process. All (SOG) officers are involved in this,” Bansal told The Indian Express. As per the newspaper, the SOG has detained over two dozen persons, including students and career counsellors. However, no arrests have been made yet.

What happens next: As per NDTV, the Centre is set to hand over the probe in the matter to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The NTA has said that it will cooperate fully with the CBI. It added that revised examination dates and fresh admit card schedules will soon be announced via official channels.

The NTA on May 10 had said it knew about the probe into "alleged irregularities around Neet (UG) 2026" by the Rajasthan SOG. It said it had received information about "alleged malpractice" regarding the Neet exam on May 7 and that it was cooperating with the authorities. "Whatever the agencies determine, including findings that may require further action, will be examined transparently and disclosed in keeping with established procedure," the NTA said in its statement.

Political reactions

Meanwhile, the Opposition is criticising the Centre.

Rahul Gandhi wrote on social media:

“The NEET 2026 exam has been cancelled. The hard work, sacrifices, and dreams of more than 22 lakh students have been crushed by this corrupt BJP regime. Some fathers took loans, some mothers sold their jewellery, lakhs of children stayed up all night studying, and in return, they got paper leaks, government negligence, and organised corruption in education.

This is not just a failure—it's a crime against the future of the youth. Every time, the paper mafia gets away scot-free, while honest students bear the punishment. Now, lakhs of students will once again endure the same mental stress, financial burden, and uncertainty. If one's destiny is determined not by hard work but by money and connections, then what meaning will education hold? The Prime Minister's so-called Amrit Kaal has turned into a poison era for the country.”

Ex-Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has accused the state government of an attempted cover-up.

“The cancellation of the Neet (UG) entrance exam indicates that there was large-scale malpractice in this paper. The BJP government in Rajasthan deliberately tried to cover it up for two weeks and tampered with the future of the youth. The National Testing Agency (NTA) has taken a bold decision in the interest of the youth by cancelling the exam and handing over the investigation to the CBI,” Gehlot said.

“The BJP government in Rajasthan had previously concealed the OMR sheet scam in the Employee Selection Board (recruitment exam) to avoid tarnishing the government’s image. Due to weak prosecution, the accused in that case were even granted bail. Similarly, an attempt was made to hide information about the Neet (UG) exam leak, and no FIR was even filed. Now the truth has come out, and the true face of the BJP government has been exposed,” he said.

FAQs

1. Why was Neet (UG) 2026 cancelled?

The exam was cancelled due to alleged irregularities, including a ‘guess paper’ leak that reportedly matched a significant portion of the actual questions.

2. Will Neet 2026 be conducted again?

Yes, the NTA has said that revised exam dates and fresh admit card schedules will be announced soon.

3. Who is investigating the Neet 2026 paper leak?

The probe is expected to be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

With inputs from agencies