The National Testing Agency (NTA) has told the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education that there was no full paper leak in NEET-UG 2026, maintaining instead that only “certain questions came out” before the examination, according to sources.
The clarification came during a committee meeting where the NTA was called to explain irregularities linked to the NEET-UG 2026 examination conducted on May 3 and later cancelled.
Officials, including NTA Chief Abhishek Singh and Higher Education Secretary Vineet Joshi, reportedly told the panel that while instances of malpractice and irregularities had been detected, these did not amount to a complete leakage of the question paper.
According to sources, the agency maintained that its position remains that “no paper leak took place”, but acknowledged that the circulation of certain questions prior to the exam raised serious concerns over examination integrity and public confidence.
The officials said the decision to cancel the exam was taken under a “zero-tolerance” policy towards any compromise in the testing process, arguing that even partial exposure of questions could undermine the credibility of competitive examinations.
Also read: Education minister directs foolproof conduct of NEET re-exam
The NTA also informed the committee that several recommendations on examination reforms have already been implemented, while others are still under process to strengthen security and make the system “leak-proof”.
The controversy over NEET-UG 2026 triggered a CBI probe, which led to multiple arrests across states. Those arrested include alleged intermediaries, teachers, examination centre staff and others accused of facilitating irregularities in the conduct of the exam.
Officials also reiterated that cancellation of the examination was necessary in view of these concerns, even though they maintained that a full-scale leak had not occurred.
Meanwhile, the NTA has announced that the NEET-UG 2026 re-examination will be held on June 21 from 2 pm to 5:15 pm.
Candidates will not be required to register again or pay fresh fees, as existing applications will remain valid. Fresh admit cards will be issued ahead of the exam, and candidates have been allowed to update their exam city preferences.
The agency said additional safeguards and stricter monitoring systems will be deployed to ensure the integrity of the re-test, following widespread concerns over the earlier examination process.
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