India's biggest medical entrance test is facing serious questions yet again after a huge controversy in 2024. Investigators probing an alleged paper leak in NEET 2026 have found that a questionnaire circulated among students in Rajasthan's Sikar allegedly matched a significant portion of the actual exam paper, reviving the kind of controversy that shook the country's medical admissions system just two years ago.

According to sources linked to the Rajasthan Special Operations Group probe, nearly 600 of the 720 questions in the NEET exam held on May 3 bore similarities to material shared in advance by some students. Around 140 questions are said to have matched exactly with those in the final paper. Since each NEET question carries four marks, investigators believe the overlap, if proven, could have had a decisive impact on rankings and medical college admissions across the country.

How the material spread

The alleged questionnaire first surfaced in Sikar two days before NEET and was reportedly sold to students for between Rs 20,000 and Rs 2 lakh. By the night before the examination, copies were allegedly changing hands for around Rs 30,000 each.

The SOG probe has traced the suspected document to a Churu-based MBBS student currently enrolled at a medical college in Kerala. He allegedly shared the material with a contact in Sikar on May 1, after which it spread rapidly through PG accommodations, coaching-linked networks, career counsellors and aspirants.

The material reportedly included more than 300 handwritten questions from physics, chemistry and biology, with the handwriting appearing identical throughout. Investigators say the match extended beyond the questions themselves, with even the sequence of answer options in several questions allegedly corresponding to the circulated material.

Digital trail and a suspicious complaint

The probe has uncovered extensive circulation through encrypted messaging platforms and social media. Chats recovered from mobile phones carried the "forwarded many times" tag, suggesting the material may have reached a large number of candidates before the exam. Officials are also examining whether printed copies were distributed offline.

A PG operator in Sikar has come under scrutiny after investigators found he had allegedly received and forwarded the material, and then filed a complaint with police and the National Testing Agency after the exam. Investigators suspect the complaint may have been an attempt to pre-empt exposure once the risk of discovery grew.

NTA awaits probe outcome

The NTA is currently awaiting the outcome of the Rajasthan SOG investigation before deciding on further action. The probe is focusing on the scale of the alleged network, the source of the question bank and whether an organised racket was involved.

A painful echo of 2024

The allegations have brought back sharp memories of the NEET 2024 controversy, when claims of paper leaks, inflated marks and systemic irregularities triggered nationwide protests by students and drew intense scrutiny from the Supreme Court.

(With inputs from Sharat Kumar)

Published on: May 11, 2026 10:02 AM IST