The National Testing Agency cancelled the NEET-UG 2026 examination on May 3, 2026, following allegations that the exam paper had been leaked [1].
This cancellation affects 2.2 million candidates [4] seeking admission to medical colleges across India. The integrity of the nation's primary medical entrance exam is under scrutiny, raising concerns about the security of high-stakes testing systems.
Director General Abhishek Singh and the NTA announced the decision on the same day as the scheduled exam [1]. The agency has tasked the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to lead a probe into the breach [1].
Investigators said that 120 questions matched the original exam paper [3]. Other reports indicate that these questions were circulated 42 hours before the exam was administered [5].
The NTA said a re-examination will be scheduled within 10 days [2]. Candidates will not be required to pay extra fees for the rescheduled test [2].
Despite the cancellation, some reports from NDTV suggest that the NTA previously warned that paper-leak claims circulating on Telegram and WhatsApp were fake. This contradicts reports from other outlets stating the leak was verified enough to warrant a full cancellation of the test.
Politicians have also weighed in on the crisis. Rahul Gandhi flagged the claims and raised accountability concerns regarding the current examination system [4].
“120 questions matched the original paper”
The cancellation of a nationwide exam affecting millions of students highlights systemic vulnerabilities in India's digital and physical paper security. The involvement of the CBI suggests the government views the leak as a criminal conspiracy rather than a simple administrative lapse, potentially leading to a complete overhaul of how the NTA manages high-stakes entrance tests.
