Prominent educator and Super 30 founder Anand Kumar on Tuesday called on the Central government to launch a formal investigation into the National Testing Agency (NTA) following the cancellation of the NEET-UG 2026 examination amid allegations of a paper leak. Kumar described the incident as "unfortunate" and warned that students are rapidly losing faith in the country's examination system.

What Anand Kumar Said

Kumar alleged that the leaked questions had reached students several days before the scheduled exam, disguised as guess papers circulated through coaching networks. "Several days before the exam, the questions had reached the students in the form of a guess paper," he said. He squarely attributed the lapse to institutional negligence: "Whatever happened is very wrong, and somewhere the NTA's negligence is to be blamed for it."

He went further, alleging that organised networks — including what he described as "influential people and mafias" — are embedded in the paper leak ecosystem. "According to reports, influential people and mafias are involved," Kumar alleged, urging the government to identify and act against such networks with strict measures.

The Coaching Centre Problem

Kumar pointed to the unchecked commercialisation of education as a structural enabler of paper leaks. He argued that the proliferation of coaching centres has turned education into a "business," with operators earning crores by conducting so-called 'guess classes' and leaking questions through guess papers. He urged the government to ensure that existing laws governing coaching centres are strictly and consistently enforced — not just enacted on paper.

Impact on Students and Parents

The NEET-UG 2026 cancellation has left hundreds of thousands of medical aspirants in uncertainty, many of whom had spent years preparing for the high-stakes entrance examination. Kumar acknowledged the psychological toll, noting that students are "extremely disappointed" and uncertain about their futures. He also drew attention to the anxiety experienced by their families. "Students are losing faith in the exam system and in the government as well," he said.

In response to the crisis, Kumar appealed to teachers and the media to empathise with the situation. He said it is the collective responsibility of educators to motivate students rather than allow despondency to set in. "We are constantly telling the students not to panic. Instead, they should take it as another opportunity for improvement," he noted.

Call for Systemic Reform

Kumar's appeal for a probe is part of a broader demand for accountability at the NTA, which has faced recurring scrutiny over examination integrity in recent years. This is not the first time the agency has been at the centre of a paper leak controversy, raising questions about whether systemic reforms — rather than one-off investigations — are needed. Kumar urged students preparing for the rescheduled exam to stay away from negativity and shortcuts: "Students also need to be taught that shortcuts can never be the path towards success." The government is yet to announce a formal inquiry or a revised exam date as of Tuesday.