CBI Unveils Charges in NEET 2026 Paper Leak Scandal Involving 13 Arrests

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has taken significant steps in the ongoing investigation into the 2026 undergraduate National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) paper leak case, filing a comprehensive chargesheet against 13 individuals apprehended in connection with the scandal. As reported by The Hindu, all accused are currently held in judicial custody, following a series of revelations that have cast a shadow over the integrity of the examination process.

This latest development comes just days after Dharmendra Pradhan resigned as the Union Minister for Education amid widespread protests led by the Cockroach Janta Party. These protests, which lasted nearly two months, focused on alleged irregularities in competitive examinations, intensifying public scrutiny of the system designed to assess aspiring medical students in India.

Among the notable names listed in the chargesheet are three subject experts from the National Testing Agency (NTA), the body responsible for conducting the NEET examination. The experts implicated include PV Kulkarni, a specialist in chemistry, biology expert Manisha Gurunath Mandhare, and physics expert Manisha Sanjay Havaldar. The CBI has alleged that Kulkarni played a pivotal role in leaking the question paper.

Further complicating the matter, Shivaraj Motegaonkar, a professor and owner of RCC Coaching Institute based in Latur, Maharashtra, has also been accused of obtaining leaked materials. The CBI has indicated that crucial access to the chemistry question paper was facilitated at Siddhivinayak Hospital, which is managed by Manoj Bhagwanrao Shirure—another individual named in the chargesheet. The CBI claims that this location was used to enable access to the leaked questions weeks prior to the examination, heightening concerns about the methods employed by those involved.

Additionally, the CBI has apprehended several alleged intermediaries accused of playing a vital role in sourcing and distributing the compromised examination papers. Among them is Tejas Harshadkumar Shah, a physics faculty member and the chief operating officer at the same coaching institute linked to Motegaonkar. The unfolding events raise serious questions about the ethical standards maintained by educational institutions and the individuals tasked with facilitating student assessments.

As the investigation progresses, the CBI is expected to delve deeper into the networks that may have contributed to this scandal, reflecting a growing urgency to restore faith in India’s competitive examination framework. The implications of this case extend beyond the immediate individuals involved, as students and educators alike await the outcome, hoping for a resolution that safeguards the integrity of future examinations.

Source: scroll.in