NEET UG Exam Cancelled Amid Reports of Paper Leak; CBI to Conduct Investigation
NEET UG 2026: There is major news for students who appeared for the NEET UG examination. Following approval from the Government of India, the National Testing Agency (NTA) has decided to cancel the NEET (UG) 2026 examination, which was held on May 3, 2026. The examination will now be conducted again. The new dates for the re-examination will be announced separately at a later time.
NEET UG 2026: There is major news for students who appeared for the NEET UG examination. Following approval from the Government of India, the National Testing Agency (NTA) has decided to cancel the NEET (UG) 2026 examination, which was held on May 3, 2026. The examination will now be conducted again. The new dates for the re-examination will be announced separately at a later time.
NTA Issues Official Notice
According to the issued notice, the NTA stated that the NEET UG examination held on May 3 is being cancelled. The agency affirmed that the examination will be conducted afresh, and the new dates will be announced separately. It is noteworthy that this decision has been taken at a time when reports regarding a paper leak have surfaced.
The NTA has stated that the matter was referred to central agencies for investigation as early as May 8. Subsequently, this decision was taken based on the inputs received from these agencies and their investigation reports. The agency maintains that questions had been raised regarding the integrity of the existing examination process; under such circumstances, allowing the examination to proceed would not have been appropriate.
CBI to Investigate the Entire Matter
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) will now conduct a thorough investigation into this entire matter. The Central Government has decided to hand over the case to the CBI. The NTA has assured that it will provide the investigating agency with all necessary records and information.
NTA Shares Information Regarding Applications and Fees
Along with cancelling the NEET UG 2026 examination, the NTA has also clarified that the registrations, candidate details, and chosen examination centers submitted during the May 2026 session will remain valid for the rescheduled examination. Consequently, students need not be concerned. Additionally, the agency stated that no extra fee would be charged to the students.
Obtain Information from the Official Website
Following the cancellation of the NEET examination, the NTA has requested candidates and their parents not to rely on social media for any information related to the NEET exam. They should place their trust solely in the helpline numbers issued by the NTA and the official website. Parents’ Helpline: neet-ug@nta.ac.in | 011-40759000 / 011-69227700. The official website address is neet.nta.nic.in.
What is the Full Story?
The NTA’s decision to cancel the examination was taken following a paper leak. The NTA had previously stated that it received information regarding alleged irregularities in the NEET UG examination on the night of May 7, 2026. Subsequently, an investigation into the matter was initiated. During the investigation, an alleged “guess paper” linked to NEET UG surfaced in Rajasthan.
Vishal Bansal, ADGP of the Rajasthan SOG (Special Operations Group), stated that during the investigation, a PDF containing approximately 410 questions was found on the mobile phones of several students. It was alleged that about 120 of these questions appeared directly in the Chemistry section of the actual examination—a revelation that heightened concerns among students and parents, as well as the agency itself.
The Guess Paper Had Circulated a Month in Advance
According to the investigating agencies, this PDF—spanning approximately 150 pages—had reached certain students via WhatsApp nearly a month prior to the examination. The document contained over 400 questions.
When Was the Examination Held?
The NEET UG examination was conducted on Sunday, May 3, 2026, at various centers across the country. According to the NTA, the examination was held under strict supervision at over 5,432 centers across 551 cities in India and 14 cities abroad. Approximately 22.79 lakh candidates had registered for this examination.
According to the NTA, an attendance rate of 96.92% was recorded nationwide. Out of a total of 2,275,011 candidates, 2,205,035 appeared for the examination. However, the subsequent cancellation of the exam has created an atmosphere of tension among the students.
