New Delhi: The cancellation of the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (Undergraduate) (NEET-UG) 2026 examination by the National Testing Agency (NTA) on Monday has once again triggered nationwide outrage over recurring examination irregularities, exposing what student groups and medical associations describe as a deep-rooted nexus involving coaching centres, middlemen and organised paper-leak networks operating across India.
The decision comes barely days after more than 22 lakh aspirants appeared for the country’s largest medical entrance examination on May 3 amid elaborate security arrangements put in place by the Centre to ensure a fair and transparent process.
However, allegations of question paper leaks and organised malpractice forced authorities to cancel the examination, raising fresh concerns about the credibility of India’s highly competitive recruitment and entrance examination system.
Student Groups Demand Accountability
Amid mounting anger among students, the Students’ Federation of India (SFI) announced a protest demonstration at Shastri Bhawan in New Delhi on Tuesday evening against the NEET paper leak and cancellation of the examination.
Student organisations are demanding accountability from authorities and a comprehensive overhaul of the examination system to prevent recurring leaks and malpractice.
Reacting sharply to the development, Dr Lakshya Mittal, chairperson of the United Doctors Front (UDF), demanded strict action against all those involved in the alleged racket, irrespective of their influence or status. “Whether it is any high-profile politician, bureaucrat, middleman, doctor, coaching mafia, or any other person connected directly or indirectly with this racket, strict action must be taken without any political or administrative protection,” Dr Mittal told ETV Bharat.
Ironically, the controversy erupted despite a series of preventive measures announced by the Union government before the examination. Last month, both the Ministry of Education and the National Medical Commission (NMC) issued strict directives to medical institutions across the country to safeguard the integrity of the examination process.
One key measure included restrictions on student leave during the examination period. Medical colleges were specifically advised not to grant leave to students on May 2 and May 3, except under exceptional circumstances, to prevent the possible misuse of student networks or the creation of impersonation rackets.
However, the latest incident has reinforced fears that organised examination fraud networks continue to exploit loopholes despite heightened surveillance and monitoring mechanisms.
Dr Mittal said, “This is not the first time that serious allegations and irregularities have surfaced regarding NEET examinations.”
While the decision to cancel and re-conduct the examination is welcome in the interest of maintaining fairness and transparency, merely cancelling the exam cannot be the final solution to such a massive scam, he added.
Demand To Dissolve NTA And NMC
The UDF has appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to dissolve the NTA and the NMC. UDF chairperson Mittal alleged that authorities failed to act firmly even after the NEET-UG 2024 controversy. “Large-scale scams surfaced in 2024, but Health Ministry and NTA officials protected the culprits instead of cooperating with investigators. Had a proper investigation been conducted then, this situation would not have arisen again in 2026,” he said.
Calling the present system “completely compromised”, Mittal said conducting examinations through private agencies had damaged the credibility of education. He demanded immediate dissolution of the NTA, arrest of responsible officials, and a transparent probe by an independent agency.
The UDF also criticised the NMC over alleged inspection scams and student exploitation. “The future of lakhs of students is at stake, yet the NMC remains silent. The government must now take concrete steps,” Mittal added.
The UDF has now demanded a high-level, time-bound, and transparent investigation into the cancellation of NEET-UG 2026. “Every individual involved in this scam must be identified and arrested immediately, irrespective of their status or position,” Dr Mittal added.
Medical professionals and education experts warned that the issue goes far beyond examination management and directly affects India’s future healthcare system.
“The students entering medical colleges today will become tomorrow’s doctors. If undeserving candidates enter medical education through corruption and fraudulent means, it will ultimately compromise patient safety and the quality of healthcare in India,” Dr Mittal added.
Speaking to ETV Bharat, Dr Rajan Sharma, former president of the Indian Medical Association (IMA), raised doubts about the practical implementation and outcomes of several initiatives adopted by the central government.
“This paper leak incident has once again exposed the deepest loopholes that exist in the education system of the country. It has once again been reiterated that all measures remained on paper and cannot check the irregularities and dodges that have existed for decades,” Dr Sharma said.
Major Paper Leaks In India
The cancellation of NEET-UG 2026 has once again brought the focus back on India’s long history of paper-leak controversies, which have repeatedly raised questions about the credibility of recruitment and entrance examinations.
More than 70 major paper leak incidents were reported across India between 2017 and 2024, affecting over 1.7 crore aspirants appearing for recruitment and entrance examinations.
Among the country’s most infamous scandals remains the Vyapam scam, which exposed a massive network of manipulation in medical admissions and recruitment exams involving middlemen, officials, politicians, and solver gangs. The scandal triggered nationwide outrage after allegations of corruption and mysterious deaths linked to the case surfaced.
One of the biggest controversies in recent years was the NEET-UG 2024 row, which led to nationwide protests and a CBI probe after allegations surfaced that question papers had leaked before the examination. The matter eventually reached the Supreme Court.
In June 2024, the UGC-NET examination was cancelled just a day after it was conducted, following allegations of irregularities. The same year, Uttar Pradesh cancelled its police constable recruitment and UPPSC RO/ARO examinations due to leaks, affecting nearly 48 lakh candidates.
The All India Pre-Medical Test (AIPMT) 2015 was cancelled by the Supreme Court after investigators uncovered a large-scale paper leak racket. In 2018, CBSE faced nationwide embarrassment after Class X Mathematics and Class XII Economics papers were leaked before the examinations.
Rajasthan witnessed repeated controversies linked to REET and police recruitment exams, while Bihar saw the BPSC examination cancelled in 2022 after question papers allegedly went viral on social media.
In Telangana, SSC and Assistant Engineer recruitment exams were hit by allegations of leaks in 2023, with WhatsApp reportedly used to circulate question papers. Assam, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Odisha, Gujarat, and Tamil Nadu have also witnessed repeated incidents involving board exams, recruitment tests, and entrance papers in recent years.
Investigations in several cases revealed that leaked papers were circulated through WhatsApp and Telegram groups hours or even days before examinations, with coaching centres and middlemen allegedly charging lakhs of rupees for access. Experts have repeatedly warned about the growing role of organised “exam mafias” operating across states.
Repeated leaks in recruitment examinations for police, teachers, engineers, and government posts have also delayed appointments and affected lakhs of job seekers across the country.
With lakhs of students once again facing uncertainty and emotional distress, the latest controversy has intensified demands for stronger digital security, stricter accountability, and major reforms in the country’s examination system.
