NEET-UG 2026 paper leak: Sharad Pawar says exam system 'badly deteriorated', CBI arrests 7
Synopsis
The NEET-UG 2026 paper leak has drawn sharp political fire, with NCP-SP chief Sharad Pawar accusing the Centre of systemic neglect — even as the CBI moves fast, arresting seven people after searches at 14 locations in 24 hours. With the exam cancelled and no rescheduled date in sight, lakhs of medical aspirants are in limbo, and the political and legal heat on the NTA is only rising.
Key Takeaways
NCP-SP chief Sharad Pawar on 14 May said the alleged NEET-UG 2026 paper leak shows India's exam system has 'badly deteriorated' .
The National Testing Agency (NTA) cancelled NEET-UG 2026 following alleged irregularities reported across Maharashtra, Kerala, Haryana , and other states.
The CBI has arrested seven accused so far; the latest two are Dhananjay Lokhanda (Ahilyanagar) and Manisha Waghmare (Pune).
Searches were conducted at 14 locations across India over 24 hours as part of the ongoing probe.
A Delhi court sent five previously arrested accused to 7 days of CBI custody.
The CBI registered the case on 12 May after a complaint by the Department of Higher Education .
Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) chief Sharad Pawar on Thursday, 14 May said the alleged NEET-UG 2026 paper leak is evidence that India's national examination system has 'badly deteriorated', as the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested two more accused, bringing the total number of arrests in the case to seven.
Pawar's Charge Against the Centre
Addressing reporters in Mumbai, Pawar alleged that the Centre failed to put adequate safeguards in place despite repeated paper leak incidents in recent years. 'Lakhs of students across the country appear for the NEET examination, and their future depends on it. Despite this, the irregularities that have come to light are extremely serious,' he said.
The NCP-SP chief pointed out that irregularities in the national-level medical entrance exam have surfaced across Maharashtra, Kerala, Haryana, and several other states — a pattern he argued underscores systemic failure rather than isolated incidents. 'This shows how badly the entire system has deteriorated, and ultimately, students are the ones suffering because of it,' he added.
Pawar also flagged the psychological toll on aspirants, noting that the uncertainty over when a fresh examination will be held is generating 'a great deal of anxiety' among students who have spent years preparing for the exam.
The National Testing Agency's Decision
The National Testing Agency (NTA) cancelled the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) Undergraduate 2026 examination following reports of alleged irregularities in the conduct of the paper. The cancellation affects hundreds of thousands of medical aspirants nationwide who had appeared or registered for the exam.
This comes amid a broader pattern of examination controversies in India. The NEET-UG 2024 paper leak had triggered nationwide protests and a Supreme Court hearing, making the recurrence of alleged malpractice in 2026 a particularly sensitive political and administrative flashpoint.
CBI Arrests and Investigation
The CBI registered the case on 12 May 2025 following a complaint lodged by the Department of Higher Education under the Ministry of Education regarding the alleged leak. In the latest round of action, the agency conducted searches at 14 locations across the country over a 24-hour period.
The two newly arrested accused have been identified as Dhananjay Lokhanda, a resident of Ahilyanagar, and Manisha Waghmare from Pune. A Delhi court has remanded the five previously arrested accused to seven days of CBI custody for further questioning.
What Comes Next
With seven arrests made and searches continuing, the CBI investigation is in an active phase. The immediate concern for students, however, remains the absence of a rescheduled examination date. Medical aspirants — many of whom have spent years and significant resources preparing — are left in limbo, with no clarity from the NTA or the Ministry of Education on when the fresh NEET-UG will be conducted. Pressure on the Centre to announce a timeline is expected to intensify in the coming days.
Point of View
But arrests alone do not restore credibility to an examination that determines the medical careers of lakhs of students. The Centre's silence on a rescheduled exam date is itself a policy failure — one that compounds the harm already done to aspirants who cannot plan their academic year.
NationPress
9 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was NEET-UG 2026 cancelled?
The National Testing Agency cancelled NEET-UG 2026 following allegations of paper leak and irregularities reported across multiple states including Maharashtra, Kerala, and Haryana. The cancellation came after the CBI registered a formal case on 12 May based on a complaint from the Department of Higher Education.
How many people has the CBI arrested in the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak case?
The CBI has arrested seven people in total as of 14 May. The two most recent arrests are Dhananjay Lokhanda from Ahilyanagar and Manisha Waghmare from Pune, following searches at 14 locations across the country over 24 hours.
What did Sharad Pawar say about the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak?
NCP-SP chief Sharad Pawar said the alleged leak shows the entire examination system has 'badly deteriorated', and accused the Centre of failing to take precautionary measures despite multiple past paper leak incidents. He also highlighted the anxiety among students over the uncertain rescheduling of the exam.
When did the CBI register the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak case?
The CBI registered the case on 12 May 2025, acting on a complaint filed by the Department of Higher Education under the Ministry of Education regarding the alleged leak of the NEET-UG 2026 examination paper.
When will NEET-UG 2026 be held again?
As of 14 May, neither the NTA nor the Ministry of Education has announced a rescheduled date for NEET-UG 2026. The uncertainty is a major concern for lakhs of medical aspirants whose academic plans depend on the outcome.
