The Director General of the National Testing Agency (NTA), Abhishek Singh, announced that all individuals involved in the alleged leak of the NEET-UG 2026 examination paper would be apprehended and face imprisonment. He issued this statement in response to the agency’s decision to cancel the examination, originally held on 3 May 2026. Singh emphasised the importance of maintaining the integrity of the examination and its impact on the students’ futures.

Singh revealed that the NTA consulted with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) after initial investigations indicated that some questions shared via mobile devices matched those on the official examination paper. He stated, “We will conduct a re-examination for students, and it will be done in a fair manner,” reinforcing the NTA’s commitment to upholding academic standards.

Re-examination Details and Fee Refund Policy Announced

In a briefing to the media, Singh announced that no additional fees would be required for candidates wishing to sit for the re-examination. Additionally, all fees paid for the cancelled test would be refunded. “We will not charge any additional fee for the re-exam, and we will also refund the fee charged in the first exam,” he affirmed. This move aims to alleviate financial concerns for students affected by the cancellation.

Singh provided details about the timeline leading to the examination’s cancellation, noting that the agency received a whistleblower tip on the night of 7 May. This tip included information about a WhatsApp message where specific questions were noted to match those in the examination. In light of this, the NTA initiated a verification process to determine the validity of the allegations.

Upon investigation, the agency confirmed that some of the alleged leaked PDFs had indeed been accessible to individuals prior to the examination date. Singh underscored that this breach constituted a serious infringement of the agency’s “zero tolerance policy,” which aims to protect the sanctity of the examination process. “This would have impacted the future of students preparing hard for the exam,” he added.

Government Involvement and Further Investigations Underway

In related developments, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan addressed the media earlier in the day but chose not to comment on the circumstances surrounding the NEET-UG 2026 examination cancellation. The Centre has referred the matter to the CBI for an in-depth investigation into the allegations raised, ensuring a comprehensive approach to the situation.

The NTA indicated that the decision to cancel the examination was made in coordination with central agencies, following careful consideration of the concerns raised regarding the examination’s integrity. The agency stated that candidate registration data and examination centre selections for the May 2026 cycle would remain valid for the upcoming re-test, removing the need for fresh registrations.

NEET-UG, which serves as the single entrance examination for MBBS, BDS, and various undergraduate medical courses across India, saw participation from approximately 22.79 lakh students in its 2026 cycle. The examination was conducted at over 5,400 centres across 551 cities in India, as well as in 14 cities internationally. The scheduled re-examination dates will be communicated separately by the NTA in due course.

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