Neet-UG cancelled for first time since 2016 after leak row, CBI to probe case

The National Testing Agency (NTA) has officially declared Neet-UG 2026 null and void after confirming a question paper leak, cancelling the examination amid growing controversy over the breach. 

This is the first time such a decision has been taken by the agency since the exam was introduced in 2016.

The cancellation follows a high-level confirmation that the integrity of the exam was compromised. In an admission of institutional failure, NTA Director General Abhishek Singh stated, “We take responsibility; the process was found to have been vitiated. Paper leaks must end with immediate effect.”

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The anatomy of a breach

Investigations have unearthed a sophisticated cross-state network involved in the leak. Central agencies confirmed that the question paper was circulating on mobile phones as early as May 1, two days before the exam.

Investigators have pinpointed Sikar, Rajasthan, as a primary distribution node where a "guess paper" matching 120 questions was sold for up to Rs 7.3 lakh ($8,100).

Meanwhile, the CBI is probing leads suggesting the leak may have originated at a printing facility in Nashik, Maharashtra. Acting on these findings, the agency has taken several people into custody in Jaipur and Nashik, including a medical student and another person allegedly linked to the printing supply chain.

What happens to the students now?

The NTA has assured students that the re-examination will be conducted with minimal additional burden. Students will not be charged any extra fee for the retest, while registration data, candidate details and exam centre preferences from the May 3 cycle will automatically carry over to the new exam date.

A revised schedule for the re-exam, along with fresh admit cards, is expected to be announced within the next 7 to 10 days.

The furore that followed

The cancellation has triggered a massive political storm. Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi accused the government of "crushing the dreams" of millions of students, while DMK chief MK Stalin called the entire Neet system a "scam."

Across major cities like Delhi and Thiruvananthapuram, student unions have taken to the streets, demanding not just a retest, but a total overhaul of the NTA's functioning.