NEET-UG 2026 Question Paper Leak Case: CBI Arrests NTA-linked Lecturer

The Central Bureau of Investigation has arrested Chemistry lecturer PV Kulkarni from Pune for allegedly masterminding the 2026 NEET-UG question paper leak, which forced cancellation of the 3 May medical entrance examination. Investigators alleged Kulkarni accessed the official question paper through his work with the National Testing Agency and then leaked questions and answers to selected aspirants during private coaching sessions.

According to officials, Kulkarni is a retired college professor who had served for years on the NEET question paper-setting panel. The CBI stated that Kulkarni was associated with the examination process on behalf of the NTA, which conducted the now-cancelled test, giving access to the final paper for NEET-UG 2026 held on 3 May.

NEET-UG 2026 question paper leak: arrests and spread of probe

The agency said Kulkarni was detained for questioning on 14 May and later arrested, after which alleged accomplice Manisha Waghmare was also taken into custody. With these arrests, CBI officials confirmed the total number of people held in connection with the NEET-UG 2026 question paper leak has reached seven, as the probe now spans several states, including Rajasthan and Maharashtra.

Two of the seven accused are Mangi Lal and Dinesh Biwal, both related and residents of Jaipur district. Rajasthan Police initially detained the pair before the CBI stepped in. Investigators believe these two formed an important link in the wider network that allegedly circulated leaked medical entrance exam papers through Rajasthan’s Sikar, a major coaching hub.

NEET-UG 2026 question paper leak: how the chemistry paper was allegedly shared

CBI officials alleged Kulkarni, with support from another accused, organised a secret coaching session at Kulkarni’s Pune residence during the last week of April. At this clandestine class, a group of NEET-UG aspirants allegedly received advance access to questions and solutions from the 2026 chemistry paper, which should have remained confidential until the 3 May examination.

The agency said students allegedly paid several lakhs of rupees each to attend these sessions. Detailing the method, the CBI stated: "The chemistry lecturer dictated the questions, multiple-choice options, and correct answers during the special coaching classes. Students noted them in their notebooks, and these questions were found to exactly match the actual NEET-UG 2026 question paper conducted on May 3, 2026," the CBI said in a statement.

NEET-UG 2026 question paper leak: role of Rajasthan network and earlier years

Sources within law enforcement told India Today TV that the Jaipur-based family had allegedly been involved in similar activity in earlier years. According to these sources, Mangi Lal and Dinesh Biwal are suspected of procuring medical entrance exam papers for family members in previous years and then selling those papers on to others, besides allegedly passing this year’s paper to coaching institutes in Sikar.

As the investigation into the NEET-UG 2026 question paper leak widened, the CBI said its work "so far has brought out the actual source of the leakage of Chemistry paper", pointing directly to Kulkarni’s alleged role. Officials maintained that the case continues to develop, with further questioning of those arrested and scrutiny of money trails linked to the alleged sale of leaked questions.

NEET-UG 2026 question paper leak: exam details, NTA stand and SOG findings

The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test on 3 May was conducted for candidates seeking admission to undergraduate medical courses across India. Around 22 lakh aspirants sat for NEET-UG 2026. On 12 May, the NTA cancelled the entire examination following growing controversy over reports of leaks and multiple police actions, especially those initiated in Rajasthan.

Responding to early news of irregularities, the NTA wrote on X on 10 May: "The National Testing Agency is aware of reports concerning the action initiated by the Rajasthan Special Operations Group in connection with alleged irregularities around NEET (UG) 2026. The examination on May 3, 2026 was conducted as scheduled and under a full security protocol," the NTA said in a post on X on May 10.

The first formal probe into irregularities around NEET-UG 2026 was launched by the Rajasthan Special Operations Group. Investigators said they discovered a handwritten set of questions that had been circulated as a "guess paper". This document allegedly overlapped with the actual NEET paper, prompting deeper checks and eventually the handover of the case to the CBI.

Officers described guess papers as practice sets drafted by tutors based on past trends. In this instance, police found that all 90 Biology questions and all 45 Chemistry questions from the NEET exam matched entries in a 281-question guess paper, even though the official test contained 180 questions in total, with each question carrying four marks.

With seven arrests recorded by 14 May and both CBI and Rajasthan SOG continuing inquiries, authorities are focusing on tracing every level of the NEET-UG 2026 question paper leak, from alleged source to distribution chains. The cancelled exam, involving about 22 lakh candidates, remains under scrutiny as agencies examine evidence linking private coaching networks, money exchanges and access to confidential question papers.