NEET UG 2026 Paper Leak: PV Kulkarni Identified as Kingpin, 8 Arrested, Re-Exam Scheduled for June 21. Here Is Everything.
A chemistry lecturer who helped set the paper allegedly leaked it first. The chain runs from an NTA committee member in Latur through Telegram to Jaipur. 2.27 million students now wait for June 21.
- NEET UG 2026 was held May 3 for 2.27 million candidates. Cancelled May 12. First cancellation in NEET history.
- CBI has identified PV Kulkarni, a chemistry lecturer at Dayanand Science College, Latur, as the kingpin. He was part of the NTA committee that set the question paper.
- 8 total arrests across Nashik, Jaipur, Gurugram, Pune and Ahilyanagar. Paper sold for Rs 10 lakh.
- 140 to 180 questions from the actual paper were found identical to a PDF circulating on Telegram from April 29, four days before the exam.
- Paper was handwritten, scanned, converted to PDF and distributed via WhatsApp and Telegram. Sikar in Rajasthan was the primary distribution hub.
- Re-exam: June 21, 2026. No fresh registration. Fees refunded. Check neet.nta.nic.in only.
- A 21-year-old aspirant in Lakhimpur Kheri, UP died by suicide after the cancellation.
Day-by-Day Timeline: April 29 to May 15
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| Apr 29 | PDF with 500-600 questions starts circulating on Telegram. 4 days before exam. |
| May 3 | NEET UG 2026 held across India. 2.27 million candidates appear. 5,400+ centres, 551 cities. |
| May 4-7 | Rajasthan SOG begins investigating. Detains persons across Sikar, Kota, Jaipur, Jhunjhunu, Dehradun. |
| May 7-8 | SOG recovers handwritten guess paper. 140 questions match actual paper. NTA receives malpractice inputs. |
| May 8 | NTA formally refers matter to central agencies. |
| May 12 | NTA cancels NEET UG 2026. First cancellation ever. FIR registered. Centre orders CBI probe. |
| May 13 | CBI arrests 5: Khairnar (Nashik), Khatik, Vikash Biwal, Dinesh Biwal (Jaipur), Yadav (Gurugram). |
| May 14 | CBI arrests Waghmare (Pune), Lokhande (Ahilyanagar). Raids 14 locations. Visits NTA HQ. Protests at Jantar Mantar. |
| May 14 | Delhi court: “organised gang.” Lokhande sent to 6-day CBI custody. 5 others to 7-day custody. |
| May 15 | CBI arrests PV Kulkarni (Latur). Designated kingpin. NTA announces June 21 re-exam. |
Who Is PV Kulkarni and Why Is He the Kingpin
PV Kulkarni is a chemistry lecturer at Dayanand Science College in Latur, Maharashtra. He was part of the committee that set the NEET UG 2026 question paper for the National Testing Agency.
According to CBI sources confirmed by The Print: “He was teaching in Dayanand Science College in Latur and was also involved with the setting of the NEET paper. It is from him that the paper was first leaked.”
Kulkarni did not merely pass on a document. He allegedly dictated questions from the paper to students in his coaching classes in Pune in the days before the examination. Students who attended those classes went into the exam on May 3 knowing what questions were coming.
The designation of “kingpin” matters legally. Under the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act 2024, being the originating source of a paper leak in an organised conspiracy carries the most severe penalties available. The breach did not begin at the printing press or the exam centre. It began where the paper was being written.
How the Paper Was Physically Leaked: Step by Step
This is the question most students are searching for. Here is the complete physical chain, based on CBI probe findings and Rajasthan SOG investigations.
Complete Arrest List: All 8 Accused
| Name | Location | Role | Custody |
|---|---|---|---|
| PV Kulkarni | Latur, MH | NTA paper-setting committee. Alleged originating source. Designated kingpin. | Arrested May 15 |
| Manisha Waghmare | Pune, MH | Received material from Kulkarni. Passed to Lokhande. | Produced in court |
| Dhananjay Lokhande | Ahilyanagar, MH | Collected from Waghmare. Identified Khairnar as next link. | 6 days CBI |
| Shubham Khairnar | Nashik, MH | Received from Pune “NTA source.” Passed to Yadav via Telegram. | 7 days CBI |
| Yash Yadav | Gurugram, HR | Received PDF from Khairnar on April 29. Distributed physics, chemistry, biology papers. | 7 days CBI |
| Mangilal Khatik | Jaipur, RJ | Paid Rs 10 lakh. Had paper printed and distributed to family and candidates. | 7 days CBI |
| Vikash Biwal | Jaipur, RJ | Mangilal’s son. Received printed copy. | 7 days CBI |
| Dinesh Biwal | Jaipur, RJ | Mangilal’s relative. Distribution chain. | 7 days CBI |
From Rajasthan SOG to CBI: How the Jurisdiction Shifted
The investigation began with the Rajasthan SOG, not the CBI. The SOG was first alerted through complaints from Sikar. It detained and questioned persons across Sikar, Kota, Jaipur, Jhunjhunu and Dehradun, and recovered the handwritten guess paper with approximately 600 questions, finding 140 matching the actual exam.
On May 8, the NTA formally referred the matter to central agencies. On May 12, after the exam cancellation, the central government ordered a CBI probe. The jurisdiction shifted to the CBI, which has powers to pursue suspects across state lines, access records from central institutions, and compel the NTA headquarters in Delhi to produce official documents.
The FIR was registered under the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act 2024, the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Prevention of Corruption Act. The CBI conducted 14 raids within the first 48 hours and seized mobile phones, printed copies, PDFs and financial transaction records.
The 140 vs 180 Questions: What Both Numbers Mean
Both figures appear in credible reports and refer to different documents.
- SOG recovered a handwritten guess paper with approximately 600 questions
- Preliminary analysis: 140 questions matching the actual exam
- This document was the physical paper distributed in Sikar coaching networks
- Source: Careers360, Deccan Herald
- CBI’s remand application referenced a PDF with 500-600 questions circulating on Telegram from April 29
- CBI found 180 questions “precisely identical” to the actual exam paper
- This document was the digital file distributed through WhatsApp and Telegram
- Source: News9Live, Outlook India
Two documents. Two different match counts. Both trace to the same alleged originating source.
The Public Examinations Act 2024: Penalties and What They Mean
The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act 2024 was passed specifically in response to the 2024 NEET controversy and multiple competitive exam irregularities. The May 12 FIR is one of the first major prosecutions under this law.
Maximum penalties: Up to 10 years imprisonment. Fines up to Rs 1 crore. For organised gangs, penalties are enhanced relative to individual offenders.
The Delhi court’s observation that the accused constituted an “organised gang” acting for monetary gain is directly relevant to sentencing if convictions follow. The court’s use of that phrase in the remand order is not incidental.
Legal experts note that successful prosecution requires forensic evidence establishing a clear chain from the original breach to each accused. The CBI’s focus on recovering digital devices, tracing financial transactions and obtaining NTA headquarters records is aimed at building that chain, which must ultimately show that Kulkarni’s access to the paper as a committee member was the starting point of an organised commercial conspiracy.
Eight states had anti-paper-leak laws before this Central Act, some for over thirty years. None stopped leaks in the states where they applied. Whether the 2024 Act performs differently will be tested by this prosecution.
NTA Security Measures That Were in Place: And Why They Failed
Before NEET UG 2026, NTA described the following security measures to the Education Ministry: GPS-tracked movement of question papers. Biometric verification of candidates. AI-assisted CCTV monitoring. Signal jammers at exam centres.
None of these measures address the breach that actually occurred. GPS tracking monitors physical paper movement from press to centre. It does not monitor what a committee member does with the paper before it is officially sealed. Biometric verification at the centre does not help if 180 questions have been in a Telegram group for four days. Signal jammers at exam halls do not help if the answer is already in the candidate’s memory.
The NTA’s security model assumed the threat was at the exam centre. The 2026 leak demonstrates the threat is at the paper composition stage, inside the NTA’s own process.
Why Reforms After 2024 Did Not Stop 2026
After the 2024 NEET controversy, the government formed a committee led by former ISRO chairman K. Radhakrishnan. The committee recommended hybrid computer-paper mode, digital question paper delivery at centres, Aadhaar-based authentication, a shift to government facilities over private contractors, and staggered multi-session exams for large tests like NEET.
NEET UG 2026 was conducted in broadly the same format as NEET UG 2024. The committee’s core recommendations were not implemented at scale. The agency has seen three directors in less than two years. Its outsourcing model remains intact.
Political Reactions
FORDA and Student Demands
FORDA (Federation of Resident Doctors’ Association) has submitted formal demands including a complete overhaul of NTA’s security framework before June 21, compensation for re-exam travel costs, and guaranteed counselling timelines.
FAIMA (Federation of All India Medical Association) has filed a petition before the Supreme Court alleging systemic NTA failure and seeking either replacement of the agency or its fundamental restructuring, with the June 21 re-exam conducted under judicial supervision.
AISA students protested at Jantar Mantar on May 14. NSUI members demonstrated outside Shastri Bhawan with placards reading “PM compromised, paper compromised,” demanding the resignation of the Education Minister.
The Human Cost
A 21-year-old NEET aspirant in Lakhimpur Kheri, Uttar Pradesh died by suicide on May 14 following the exam cancellation. His father confirmed the death. He is not a data point. He had been preparing for a career in medicine.
2.27 million students appeared for this exam. Many had spent two, three or four years preparing. Many left home districts to attend coaching in Sikar, Kota, Nashik and Pune. NEET is held once a year. A cancellation is not an administrative inconvenience. For students in their final preparation year, it is the loss of a year of their life.
If you or someone you know is in distress: iCall: 9152987821. Vandrevala Foundation: 1860-2662-345 (24/7).
What Students Need to Do Right Now
Three of the NTA’s eight NEET cycles have ended in acknowledged paper compromise. A parliamentary committee found five of 14 major NTA exams in 2024 had major issues. The agency has had three directors in two years. The 2026 exam used the same format as the 2024 exam that leaked.
The 2026 breach is qualitatively worse than 2024. In 2024 the leak started at an exam centre. In 2026 the CBI’s alleged kingpin was the person who wrote the paper. The security framework assumed the threat was outside the NTA. The threat was inside it.
June 21 is the date. The systemic question is what changes between now and then, and whether those changes are enough to prevent a third leak in a third consecutive NEET cycle.
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Dilshad is a journalist, filmmaker and digital marketing expert covering Indian politics and elections at TNT News.
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