NEET UG 2026 Cancelled: Paper Leak, CBI Probe and What Students Must Do Now

In a massive blow to over 22 lakh medical aspirants across India, the National Testing Agency has cancelled the NEET UG 2026 examination conducted on May 3, 2026. The decision came after a handwritten guess paper circulated before the exam was found to contain 120 questions that matched the actual NEET paper word-for-word — 90 from Biology and 30 from Chemistry. The Central Bureau of Investigation has now been called in to probe what is shaping up to be one of the biggest exam scandals in India's history.

What Happened? The Full Timeline

1. May 3, 2026: NEET UG 2026 was conducted across India for approximately 22.79 lakh registered candidates appearing for MBBS, BDS, BAMS and other medical undergraduate admissions

2. May 3-4, 2026: Within hours of the exam ending, reports began surfacing on social media that questions from the paper had been circulated in advance via Telegram groups and coaching networks in Rajasthan

3. May 5-7, 2026: Rajasthan Special Operations Group (SOG) began investigating after seizing a handwritten document containing over 400 questions that allegedly circulated before the exam. Investigators found more than 100 Biology and Chemistry questions showing striking similarities with the actual NEET paper

4. May 8, 2026: NTA referred the matter to central agencies for independent verification, while releasing the provisional NEET UG 2026 answer key for students

5. May 12, 2026: NTA officially cancelled NEET UG 2026 with government approval and announced that the CBI would investigate. Re-examination dates to be announced separately

What the Rajasthan SOG Found

The Rajasthan Special Operations Group launched one of the most detailed investigations into an exam paper leak in recent memory. According to SOG ADG Vishal Bansal, investigators found a handwritten suggestion paper whose 120 questions matched the actual NEET UG 2026 paper. Specifically, 90 Biology questions and 30 Chemistry questions from the handwritten document appeared in the actual exam.

The SOG is now examining question papers, coaching institute material, Telegram groups and financial transactions linked to the suspected irregularities. A report by Times of India cited DGP Vishal Bansal describing the circulated material as a guess paper or test series, though officials have not ruled out a deeper organised network of paper traders operating across multiple states.

NTA Official Statement

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 and in order to ensure that there is transparency in the system, the National Testing Agency, with the approval of the Government of India, has decided to cancel the NEET UG 2026 examination conducted on May 3, 2026, and to re-conduct the examination on dates that will be notified separately. — NTA Official Statement, May 12, 2026

CBI Takes Over the Investigation

The Central Bureau of Investigation has been handed the probe, reflecting the seriousness with which the government is treating the alleged leak. The CBI's involvement signals that investigators believe the irregularities may extend beyond Rajasthan and could involve an organised national-level network of paper traders, coaching institutes or insiders with access to exam question banks.

The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad demanded a fair and time-bound CBI investigation, with ABVP National General Secretary Virendra Singh Solanki saying the irregularities have seriously damaged student morale and that those responsible must be held accountable with maximum punishment.

Political Reaction: Opposition Demands Accountability

Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi responded sharply to the cancellation on social media, saying: "It is not an exam anymore — NEET is now an auction." His statement captured the widespread frustration among students, parents and educators who have seen NEET dogged by controversy for the second consecutive year, following the 2025 NEET-UG grace marks and paper leak row that had already shaken confidence in India's largest medical entrance examination.

What Happens to 22 Lakh Students Now?

This is the most urgent question for the millions of students and families affected. Here is what is known as of May 12, 2026:

• The NEET UG 2026 exam conducted on May 3 stands cancelled in its entirety. All results from that exam are void

• NTA will announce fresh re-examination dates separately. Students should monitor neet.nta.nic.in for official updates

• The provisional answer key that was released remains temporarily available but will be superseded by the re-examination process

• Students who appeared on May 3 will be required to appear for the re-examination. Registration details will be confirmed by NTA

• MBBS and BDS admissions through NEET 2026 counselling will be delayed. Medical college admissions timelines will shift accordingly

Advice for NEET UG 2026 Students Right Now

If you appeared for NEET UG 2026 on May 3, here is what experts and counsellors are advising:

• Do not panic. The re-examination is a fresh opportunity and your preparation is not wasted

• Keep checking neet.nta.nic.in and NTA official social media for re-examination date announcements

• Continue your revision and preparation as if the re-examination is imminent. Stay sharp on Biology especially, given that 90 of the matched questions were from Biology

• Do not engage with or circulate unofficial guess papers or leaked material online. The CBI investigation means legal consequences for those involved in distributing such material

• Reach out to your coaching institute for updated study schedules and mock test series ahead of the re-examination

A Systemic Crisis: NEET Under the Microscope Again

This is not the first time NEET has been at the centre of controversy. In 2025, the NEET UG examination was engulfed in a grace marks scandal that led to political uproar, Supreme Court scrutiny and a partial re-test for affected students. The 2026 cancellation is a more severe outcome — a full cancellation affecting every single student who appeared — and raises fundamental questions about how India conducts its most high-stakes national entrance examinations.

Calls are growing louder for a complete structural overhaul of NTA and the NEET examination process — including encrypted digital question delivery, biometric verification at exam centres, and real-time monitoring through AI-powered surveillance. Until these systemic changes are implemented and verified, India's medical entrance system will remain vulnerable to the same cycle of controversy, cancellation and student suffering.

Key Contact Information for Students

• NTA Official Website: neet.nta.nic.in

• NTA Helpline: 011-40759000

• NTA Email: neet@nta.ac.in