The integrity of the NEET UG 2026 examination has come under fresh scrutiny after investigators uncovered evidence suggesting that a large set of questions may have been circulated among students before the medical entrance test was conducted.
The Special Operations Group (SOG) has detained 13 individuals from Rajasthan and Uttarakhand as part of an expanding investigation into the alleged irregularities linked to the national-level examination conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) on May 3.
Officials confirmed that suspects were picked up from Sikar, Jhunjhunu and Dehradun before being brought to Jaipur for interrogation.
Probe Focuses on Question Set Shared Before Exam
According to investigators, the inquiry gained momentum after authorities traced a document containing hundreds of questions that was allegedly distributed before the examination.
Senior SOG officials stated that more than 400 questions were part of the material under investigation, with over 100 questions from biology and chemistry reportedly bearing close resemblance to those that later appeared in the NEET UG examination.
Investigators are now trying to determine whether the material was merely a predictive “guess paper” circulated by coaching networks or part of a larger organised leak operation connected to the examination system itself.
Sources involved in the investigation have not ruled out the possibility of a wider network operating across multiple states.
WhatsApp Distribution Angle Under Examination
The investigation has also uncovered allegations that the question set was circulated digitally through WhatsApp nearly two days before students appeared for the exam.
Authorities are currently examining electronic devices, communication records and financial transactions linked to the suspects to identify the origin of the material and determine whether money was exchanged for access to the questions.
Officials indicated that additional detentions or arrests could follow as questioning continues in Jaipur.
NTA Says Exam Conducted Under Full Security Protocol
Amid mounting concerns, the National Testing Agency issued a statement maintaining that the examination was conducted with extensive security arrangements and proceeded smoothly at centres across the country.
The agency said suspicious information related to possible irregularities was received several days after the examination and was immediately forwarded to central agencies for independent assessment and investigation.
While the NTA did not directly comment on the detentions made by the SOG, it stated that it was cooperating fully with investigative authorities and sharing technical data and exam-related inputs whenever required.
Experts Yet to Decide If It Qualifies as Paper Leak
Investigators and exam authorities are still assessing whether the incident legally qualifies as an actual paper leak or merely involves highly accurate unofficial question predictions circulated before the examination.
Officials said a final conclusion would be taken only after expert analysis of the recovered materials, digital evidence and comparison with the original NEET UG question paper.
The controversy has once again reignited concerns over the security and transparency of competitive examinations in India, especially after last year’s nationwide uproar over alleged irregularities in several recruitment and entrance tests.
