Students appear for National Elgibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) UG exam in Sangareddy district. File
| Photo Credit: Mohd. Arif
The National Testing Agency (NTA) on Tuesday (May 12, 2026) canceled the NEET-UG 2026 exam held on May 3 amid allegations of a paper leak, with the government asking the CBI to carry out a comprehensive inquiry into the “irregularities”. This decision comes as the Rajasthan Special Operations Group investigates the allegations of the exam paper leak.
In a statement on X, the NTA said the decision was taken in the interest of maintaining transparency and preserving trust in the national examination system.
“On the basis of the inputs subsequently examined by NTA in coordination with the central agencies, and the investigative findings shared by the law enforcement agencies and in order to ensure that there is transparency in the system, the National Testing Agency, with the approval of the Government of India, has decided to cancel the NEET (UG) 2026 examination conducted on 3 May 2026, and to re-conduct the examination on dates that will be notified separately,” the NTA said in a press release.
The revised examination dates and admit card release schedule will be communicated through the official channels of the Agency, it added.
Amid allegations that the question paper for the NEET-UG 2026 entrance examination held on May 3 was leaked, action was initiated by the Rajasthan Special Operations Group (SOG) in connection with alleged irregularities.
The alleged irregularities involve ‘a guess paper’ circulated before the exam that reportedly contained questions which closely matched the actual paper.
Rajasthan Police SOG Additional Director General Vishal Bansal stated that the agency was verifying whether the circulation of the material was linked to organised crime.
A massive protest organised by the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) broke out near the Shastri Bhawan on Tuesday (May 12, 2026), against the alleged paper leak.
CBI to probe paper leak allegations
The NTA further said the government has decided to refer the matter to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for a comprehensive inquiry into the allegations linked to the examination.
“NTA will extend full cooperation to the Bureau and will provide all materials, records, and assistance the inquiry requires,” it added.
“This decision has been taken in the interest of students and in recognition of the trust on which the national examination system rests,” the NTA said.
The agency acknowledged that the re-conduct of the examination would cause “real and significant inconvenience” to candidates and their families, but said the decision was necessary to prevent “greater and more lasting damage” to trust in the examination system.
Published – May 12, 2026 12:31 pm IST
