Opposition leaders on Tuesday, 12 May alleged the involvement of a "mafia" and "influential people" in the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak, demanding that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Centre be held accountable to the lakhs of students and parents who invested years of effort and money preparing for the medical entrance examination. The statements came a day after the National Testing Agency (NTA) cancelled the NEET-UG 2026 exam — conducted on 3 May — and announced it would be re-conducted on dates yet to be notified.

Background: What Triggered the Cancellation

Rajasthan investigators are currently probing allegations that a "guess paper" circulated before the exam contained questions that closely matched those in the actual test paper. The NTA has not yet provided a detailed public explanation for the cancellation beyond confirming the re-conduct announcement. This is not the first time the NEET-UG examination has been embroiled in controversy — similar irregularity allegations surfaced in 2024, when the Supreme Court declined to scrap the exam despite reported concerns.

What Congress Said

Congress leader Sachin Pilot said the pattern of repeated paper leaks pointed to organised criminal networks. "Lakhs of students work hard and their parents, too, put in so much effort to save enough money so that their children are able to attend coaching for these exams," he said, speaking to reporters. "Now, questions are being raised on the system itself and NTA is getting exposed," he added. Pilot argued that since paper leaks are happening repeatedly, there must be the involvement of some "mafia" and "gangs" behind it, led by an influential figure given the near-identical match between the guess paper and the actual exam. He called for a time-bound judicial enquiry — not a CBI probe — into the matter. "Those responsible must stand up and take accountability. If the department is not able to conduct exams fairly, every year it's happening repeatedly, I think those responsible should have to step aside," Pilot said.

AAP and TMC Weigh In

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Saurabh Bharadwaj cautioned that many paper leak cases may still be unknown to the public. "This is among those cases that we are getting to know of. There may be several unknown cases of paper leaks," he said. Bharadwaj also criticised the Supreme Court's 2024 decision not to scrap the NEET-UG examination despite reported irregularities, arguing it sent the wrong signal. "The then SC verdict gave a message that even if paper leak was caught later, at least those who had received the questions beforehand and those who received money for it, would be benefitted," he said. Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Saugata Roy warned that such incidents would "break the trust" that people have in the NTA.

AIMIM Demands Government Accountability

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) President Asaduddin Owaisi echoed concerns about the financial burden on students and families. "What will happen to those students who have been preparing hard for the exam and whose parents have spent lakhs of rupees on coaching fees," he said, adding that the BJP-led Central government must be answerable to those affected.

What Happens Next

The NTA is yet to announce the re-examination date for NEET-UG 2026. The Rajasthan probe into the guess-paper leak remains ongoing. Opposition parties have collectively called for systemic reform at the NTA and a credible, court-supervised investigation — a demand that will likely intensify as more details of the alleged leak emerge.