New Delhi: In a swift administrative response to the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak crisis, the Central government on Saturday announced the appointment of two joint secretaries and two joint directors to the National Testing Agency (NTA), as the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) races to crack down on one of the biggest exam fraud cases in recent memory.
Anuja Bapat, a 1998-batch Indian Statistical Service officer, and Ruchita Vij, a 2004-batch Indian Revenue Service (Customs and Indirect Taxes) officer, have been appointed as joint secretaries at the NTA for a period of five years, according to an order issued by the Personnel Ministry. In a separate order, Akash Jain of the Indian Revenue Service (Income Tax) and Aditya Rajendra Bhojgadhiya of the Indian Audit and Accounts Service have been named joint directors at the agency.
What Triggered the Crisis?
The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test – Undergraduate (NEET-UG) 2026, in which over 22 lakh students had appeared on May 3, was cancelled following allegations of a paper leak.
The Rajasthan Police Special Operations Group’s probe found a “guess paper” reportedly containing around 410 questions, of which nearly 120 questions allegedly appeared in the Biology and Chemistry sections of the actual examination. The leaked papers are believed to have been circulated through WhatsApp and Telegram groups ahead of the exam. According to investigators, the accused had allegedly handwritten the question paper before scanning and circulating it among students at coaching centres in Rajasthan’s Sikar district.
The Rajasthan SOG has arrested alleged masterminds Manish Yadav and Rakesh Mandavriya in connection with the leak.
Follow TJP Whatsapp ChannelCBI Takes Over
The NTA, on May 12, 2026, officially declared the cancellation of the examination and announced that a re-exam would be conducted on dates to be notified separately. The Government of India subsequently directed the CBI to conduct a comprehensive inquiry, following which the central agency registered an FIR in the matter.
The CBI has registered a case and formed teams to probe the paper leak.
Students Left in Limbo
The cancellation has left millions of aspiring medical students in uncertainty, with no confirmed date yet for the re-examination. The episode has once again raised serious questions about the NTA’s ability to conduct high-stakes national examinations securely and fairly.
The fresh appointments are being seen as the Centre’s attempt to restore credibility to the embattled agency ahead of the rescheduled exam.
The Jan Post Desk
