A new development has taken place regarding the NEET 2026 medical entrance exam, following claims by investigators in Rajasthan that a "guess paper" circulated in Sikar bore a striking resemblance to the actual test paper. The discovery has sparked fears of a widespread breach, with the Rajasthan Special Operations Group (SOG) probing whether students were given illegal access to the question bank days before the exam was held on May 3.
According to sources close to the investigation, nearly 600 out of a possible 720 marks in the exam matched questions finding similarities with the material shared in advance by some students. Most concerning for officials is the allegation that even the sequence of multiple-choice answers in several sections was identical to the leaked material. The SOG has traced the document back to a Churu-based MBBS student currently studying in Kerala, who allegedly shared the file with a contact in Sikar on May 1. From there, it reportedly spread like wildfire through coaching hubs, hostels, and private messaging groups.
The financial scale of the alleged racket is equally significant. Investigators believe the questionnaire was initially sold for as much as roughly ₹2 lakh. The material itself consisted of over 300 handwritten questions covering physics, chemistry, and biology. Early analysis suggests roughly 140 of these questions appeared in the final exam; given that each correct answer carries four marks, such an overlap would fundamentally distort the national rankings and the competitive admissions process.
Suspicion has also fallen on a hostel operator in Sikar who allegedly forwarded the material before later filing a formal complaint with the National Testing Agency (NTA). The police believe that this was perhaps an attempt to ward off any blame in advance as the investigation was gaining momentum. As the NTA awaits the report of the Rajasthan SOG, the controversy has once again opened old wounds, dating back to 2024, when similar accusations of leakages and irregularities had led to protests across India and Supreme Court intervention.
Although the apex court ultimately stopped short of ordering a full re-test two years ago, it did demand rigorous reforms to the NTA’s protocols. This latest development suggests those safeguards may have been bypassed once again, leaving millions of aspiring doctors in a state of anxious uncertainty as they wait to see if the integrity of this year’s results can be salvaged.
Also read: NEET-UG 2026: Student alleges disruptions at exam centre
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