Editorial: NEET paper leak is a betrayal of student trust

The cancellation of NEET-UG 2026 examination following paper leak exposes the deepening rot in India’s examination system and proves that no lessons have been learned from past crises

The cancellation of the NEET-UG 2026 examination following the suspected leakage of the question paper brings a grim sense of deja vu, an utter frustration over how repeated lapses by an insensitive administration are playing with the lives of students. It is obvious that no lessons have been learned from similar failures in the past. Lakhs of students, after years of relentless preparation, sleepless nights and immense emotional strain, have been told that their career-defining examination stands nullified because the authorities entrusted with safeguarding its integrity failed to protect the sanctity of a ‘guess paper’. It is a crime against the future of the youth. Each time, the paper mafia gets away scot-free, while honest students bear the punishment. Now, lakhs of students will once again endure the same mental stress, financial burden and uncertainty. Nearly 22 lakh students appeared for this year’s National Entrance cum Eligibility Test Undergraduate (NEET-UG), which is the gateway examination for admission to undergraduate medical programmes across the country. Four days after the exam was held on May 3, a whistleblower’s message led investigators to a ‘guess paper’ which included a significant overlap of questions with the actual question paper. The National Testing Agency has announced cancellation of the test, while the government has ordered a CBI probe into the case. In 2024 too, NEET was rocked by allegations of paper leaks, inflated ranks and controversial grace marks. Though the entire exam was not cancelled then, the episode triggered nationwide outrage, judicial scrutiny and promises of reform. The government assured students that safeguards would be strengthened and lessons had been learned.

Instead, the rot has deepened. The cancellation of the 2026 exam proves that the authorities hardly treated the earlier crisis with the seriousness it deserved. The credibility of the National Testing Agency now lies in tatters. Such a monumental failure affecting millions of young citizens calls for an overhaul of the entire system of education. Heads must roll for allowing a repetition of this unforgivable scandal. Every paper leak strengthens criminal syndicates while punishing honest students. There must be transparent investigations, criminal prosecution and administrative accountability. According to multiple reports, 120-135 questions from the circulated ‘guess paper’ material allegedly matched the final examination paper, raising concerns that questions worth nearly 600 marks may have been leaked. The material was reportedly shared by WhatsApp and Telegram groups nearly 42 hours before the examination. There is something terribly wrong with India’s examination system. The allegations of paper leakage and serious irregularities have been plaguing the system, leading to erosion of public faith in government agencies. In 2024, the University Grants Commission-National Eligibility Test (UGC-NET), for the appointment of assistant professors, junior research fellowships, and admission to PhD in universities, was cancelled just a day after it was conducted, leading to major embarrassment for the Centre and a betrayal of the trust reposed by lakhs of candidates across the country.