The NEET 2026 examination, conducted recently across the country, has come under intense scrutiny following allegations of a paper leak in Sikar, Rajasthan. Reports indicate that guess papers distributed in Sikar a day before the exam contained several questions that were identical to those in the actual question paper. In response, the Special Operations Group (SOG) has formed a high-level team of officials to initiate a thorough investigation. On the day of the exam, several students had approached the Udyog Nagar police station in Sikar with complaints, but after initial police inaction, they reported the matter to the National Testing Agency (NTA) via email, providing supporting documents.
DGP Intervention and ATS-SOG Activation
The case gained momentum when the matter reached Rajasthan Director General of Police (DGP) Rajiv Kumar Sharma, who subsequently directed the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) and SOG to take action. Senior officials from Jaipur have been stationed in Sikar for the past two days, interrogating suspects. According to sources, following the NEET exam on May 3, students informed the Udyog Nagar police that questions from a pre-released guess paper matched the actual exam. However, the local police allegedly failed to take the complaint seriously and didn't inform the District Superintendent of Police (SP), merely asking the complainants to submit their mobile phones before sending them away.
High-Level Raids and Detentions in Sikar
Following the students' email to the NTA, the agency alerted DGP Rajiv Kumar Sharma. ADG of ATS and SOG, Vishal Bansal, recognizing the gravity of the situation, formed an expert team and personally visited Sikar to lead the interrogation of suspects. Raids were conducted at various hostels on Piprali Road and Nawalgarh Road. Reports suggest that approximately 8 students and youths were detained from these locations and taken to the Udyog Nagar police station for questioning. Police personnel from Udyog Nagar, Kotwali, Gokulpura, and Dadia stations were also deployed across Piprali Road to assist in the operation.
Physics and Biology Questions Under Scrutiny
Police sources revealed that the suspicious guess papers surfaced on the night of May 2, just before the NEET exam. A significant number of questions in the Physics and Biology sections of these guess papers were found to be identical to the actual NEET exam paper. Despite the ongoing high-profile investigation involving ADG Vishal Bansal, SOG IG Ajaypal Lamba, and ADGP Dinesh MN, Sikar SP Pravin Nayak Nunawat has declined to comment on the matter. The ATS and SOG teams have been camping in Sikar since Friday night to trace the source of the leak.
Persistent Paper Leak Issues in Rajasthan
Rajasthan has been grappling with a series of paper leaks in competitive and academic exams over the past few years. Previous instances include the REET 2021, Second Grade Teacher Recruitment 2022, Senior Teacher Recruitment (Grade-II), Patwari Recruitment, JEN Recruitment, Librarian Recruitment, and RO/EO Recruitment exams. The SI Recruitment Exam 2021 was notably cancelled due to similar irregularities. In the current NEET case, the SOG is working to connect the dots based on the evidence collected so far.
As of Saturday night, no official disclosure has been made by the police regarding the findings of the interrogation. The investigation continues as authorities attempt to determine the extent of the racket and identify the masterminds behind the alleged leak.