The National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET-UG) 2026, conducted on May 3, has descended into unprecedented chaos following the confirmation of a massive, multi-state paper leak. With the futures of over 22.7 lakh medical aspirants in limbo, the National Testing Agency (NTA) has cancelled the exam and scheduled a computer-based re-examination for June 21, 2026.
Investigations by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and state police forces have unraveled a sophisticated “insider job” that bypassed high-tech safeguards like AI-assisted CCTV and GPS tracking. Below is the sequential breakdown of the key individuals and networks identified in the scam so far.
1. The NTA Insider Ring: The Origin of the Leak
The 2026 breach was primarily driven by NTA-appointed experts who weaponised their legitimate access to confidential materials.
P.V. Kulkarni (The Chemistry Kingpin): A chemistry lecturer from Latur, Maharashtra, Kulkarni was associated with the NTA examination process. He is alleged to have organised secret coaching sessions at his Pune residence in late April 2026, where he dictated the exact questions and answers that appeared on the May 3 exam.
Manisha Gurunath Mandhare (The Biology Insider): A senior Botany teacher at Modern College, Pune, Mandhare was an NTA-appointed expert for the 2026 exam. She allegedly used her access to the Botany and Zoology papers to conduct similar “special classes” at her residence, instructing students to note down questions that saw a 100% match on the actual exam.
The Latur Translation Panelist: A retired chemistry professor in Latur, who served on the Marathi translation panel, has been detained. Because translation requires viewing the unredacted paper, investigators believe he may have been a critical conduit or the ultimate source of the leak.
Follow TJP Whatsapp Channel2. The Distribution Hub: Middlemen and Digital Wings
Once the questions were leaked from the Pune-Latur ring, they were packaged into a 410-question “guess paper” and sold through a network of middlemen.
Dr. Yash Yadav (The Gurugram Connection): Operating out of Haryana, Yadav allegedly acted as a primary bridge, procuring the master paper for ₹30 lakh and disseminating PDF copies via encrypted messaging platforms.
Shubham Khairnar (The Nashik Connection): A BAMS student from Nashik, Khairnar is believed to be one of the first commercial buyers. He reportedly helped the paper travel from Maharashtra to Rajasthan and other states.
Manisha Sanjay Waghmare (The Recruiter): Arrested in Pune, Waghmare acted as the financial intermediary and recruiter. She managed over two dozen dummy bank accounts and used her social network to source students willing to pay lakhs for pre-exam access.
3. The Rajasthan Operation: Sikar and the Biwal Network
Rajasthan, particularly the coaching hub of Sikar, emerged as the nerve centre for the digital spread of the leaked content.
The Biwal Family (Jaipur): Dinesh Biwal allegedly paid ₹10 lakh to secure the paper for his son, Vikas Biwal, an aspirant. Dinesh then scanned and digitised the handwritten paper into a PDF, which gave the leak “digital wings”. A third family member, Mangilal Biwal, was also arrested for his role in the distribution chain.
Manish Yadav (The Sikar Mastermind): Identified as the head of the state’s distribution arm, he funnelled the paper into Sikar’s coaching ecosystem.
Rakesh Kumar Mandawaria: An MBBS counselling agent who allegedly helped channel the paper to students across Delhi, Jammu & Kashmir, Bihar, Kerala, and Uttarakhand.
4. How the Scam Was Exposed
The racket came to light through the civic courage of a chemistry teacher at a Sikar coaching centre. After receiving a “guess paper” on WhatsApp, he compared it to the actual exam on the evening of May 3 and found that over 40 Chemistry questions were identical. When local police initially dismissed his claims, he reported the matter directly to the NTA, triggering the IB and CBI investigations.
5. Systemic Fallout and Legal Action
The scale of the 2026 scam has sparked national outrage and led to the following developments:
NTA Reforms: The NTA has appointed new joint directors and secretaries, and Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan announced that all future NEET-UG exams will be computer-based.
Supreme Court Petition: The United Doctors Front has moved the Supreme Court, demanding the NTA be converted into a statutory body subject to mandatory CAG audits and legislative accountability.
Criminal Investigation: As of May 17, 2026, the CBI has arrested at least nine key accused and placed over 150 students under strict scrutiny.
The Jan Post will continue to provide updates as this multi-layered investigation unfolds.
