The National Testing Agency (NTA) has cancelled the NEET UG 2026 examination for more than 22 lakh candidates after allegations surfaced that the question paper had been leaked before the test. Investigators traced the first digital circulation of the paper to Nashik in Maharashtra, triggering a nationwide probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The leaked paper allegedly spread across several states, including Rajasthan, Haryana, Bihar, Kerala, and Jammu and Kashmir. Authorities suspect that encrypted messaging platforms and advanced digital methods were used to circulate the paper nearly two days before the examination, raising serious concerns over the integrity of the national-level medical entrance test.
The investigation has focused on Nashik resident Shubham Khairnar, a Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery (BAMS) student, who has been accused of purchasing the leaked paper from a Pune-based contact and selling it onward for profit. Many media reports claimed he bought the paper for Rs 10 lakh and later sold it to a buyer in Haryana for Rs 15 lakh. According to Mumbai Naka Police Station Inspector Vishwas Patil, the CBI had called Khairnar’s brother to serve a notice, while two of his friends and a roommate were also questioned during the inquiry. Patil clarified that the local police are not conducting any separate investigation and that the entire probe is currently being handled by the CBI.
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Officials said Shubham Khairnar was detained on Tuesday afternoon while allegedly travelling to a temple. Investigators claimed he had altered his appearance by cutting his hair in an attempt to avoid identification. However, the CBI reportedly tracked him using technical surveillance inputs and older photographs. Following his detention by the Local Crime Branch (LCB), his father Madhukar Khairnar denied all accusations and described the allegations against his son as false. At the same time, he stated that if his son’s name had surfaced during the investigation, authorities should carry out a fair and transparent probe to uncover the truth behind the alleged examination scam.
The paper leak reportedly came to light after a student from Rajasthan’s Sikar, who was studying in Kerala, allegedly sent a PDF described as a “guess paper” to his father. The father, who manages a PG accommodation facility in Sikar, reportedly attempted to distribute the paper to students before the exam. After the test concluded, teachers allegedly found that several Chemistry and Biology questions matched the actual NEET paper. Rajasthan’s Special Operations Group (SOG) later launched an investigation and arrested 15 people, including alleged masterminds Manish Yadav and Rakesh Mandwaria, who is suspected to be linked to a consultancy centre in Sikar.