NEET 2026 Leaked? Row After ‘Guess Paper’ Matches Exam Questions In Rajasthan; NTA Responds

NEET 2026 Leak Row: A controversy has broken out over the NEET 2026 examination after investigators in Rajasthan found that a “guess paper” circulated among students in Rajasthan’s Sikar allegedly matched a large number of questions asked in the actual exam.

The Rajasthan Police Special Operations Group (SOG) has launched an investigation into possible paper leak allegations linked to the medical entrance exam held on May 3.

According to investigators, an MBBS student from Kerala allegedly shared a questionnaire with a friend in Rajasthan’s Sikar on May 1. The questionnaire was later circulated through WhatsApp groups, coaching networks, PG accommodations and career counsellors.

As per the probe by the SOG, out of around 300 questions in the circulated

document, nearly 140 to 150 questions appeared exactly in the NEET exam. Some reports also suggest that questions carrying nearly 600 marks out of the total 720 showed similarities with the circulated material.

The controversy has deepened after investigators found that even the order of answer options in several questions allegedly matched the pre-circulated questionnaire. Since each NEET question carries four marks, investigators believe the overlap could have had a major impact on rankings and admissions if the allegations are proven true.

The SOG has detained 13 suspects from Dehradun, Sikar and Jhunjhunu following intelligence inputs. A coaching-linked career counsellor in Sikar has also been arrested, News18 India reported.

Investigators are now trying to determine whether the document was simply an unusually accurate “guess paper” or evidence of an actual leak of the NEET question bank before the exam.

The probe also revealed that the material was widely shared through encrypted messaging apps and social media. Some recovered chats reportedly carried the “forwarded many times” label, indicating that the questions may have reached many students before the examination.

A PG accommodation operator in Sikar is also under scrutiny after investigators found he had allegedly shared the material before later filing a complaint with the police and the National Testing Agency (NTA).

The NEET UG exam, one of India’s biggest entrance tests, was attempted by over 22 lakh candidates this year. It serves as the gateway for admission to MBBS, BDS, and other allied medical programmes across institutions in the country.

Authorities had introduced strict security measures, including GPS-tracked vehicles, AI-based cameras, 5G jammers and biometric verification to prevent malpractice.

What NTA Said?

Meanwhile, the NTA on Sunday issued a statement regarding the alleged irregularities linked to the NEET (UG) 2026 examination, following action initiated by the Rajasthan SOG.

The National Testing Agency is aware of reports concerning the action initiated by the Rajasthan Special Operations Group in connection with alleged irregularities around NEET (UG) 2026. The following is placed on record for the information of candidates, parents, and the public.…

— National Testing Agency (@NTA_Exams) May 10, 2026

In a post on X, NTA said that the exam of May 3 was conducted under “full security protocol” across all centres.
NTA stated that the question papers were transported in GPS-tracked vehicles bearing unique, traceable watermark identifiers. Examination halls operated under AI-assisted CCTV monitoring from a central control room, with biometric verification of every candidate and 5G jammers in operation.

The agency said that it received inputs concerning alleged malpractice activity around the examination on May 7.

“These inputs were escalated by NTA to central agencies on the morning of 8 May 2026 for independent verification and necessary action. These inputs were escalated by NTA to central agencies on the morning of 8 May 2026 for independent verification and necessary action,” they said.