The links in the NEET paper leak are now beginning to connect. In this case, first Chemistry Professor PV Kulkarni and then Botany Lecturer Manisha Mandhare were arrested. Now it is emerging that an officer of the National Testing Agency (NTA), which conducts the NEET exam, is also involved.
Dainik Bhaskar has obtained some internal reports of the CBI investigation, which revealed that beautician Manisha Waghmare, arrested from Pune in the paper leak case, was in direct contact with an NTA officer. She had received the NEET-UG 2026 question paper and answers 6 days before the exam through the NTA officer and other accused.
The source also revealed that the beautician came in contact with the NTA officer through Chemistry Professor PV Kulkarni, who was arrested in the case. This officer could be among those who have responsibilities ranging from finalizing the paper to forming the expert committee.
According to documents presented in court, accused beautician Manisha Waghmare executed the paper leak conspiracy in collusion with NTA officer and other accused.
First understand why there is suspicion on NTA officer…
How was the paper leaked from a place where electronic gadgets and pens are banned
CBI is investigating whether the leaked paper is a photocopy of the original paper or was it leaked by taking a photo. This investigation is also being conducted because in the NTA office where the paper is set, no electronic gadgets or items like pens in which a camera can be hidden are allowed, so it is not easy to make a photocopy or take a photo.
In this confidential area, expert professors and lecturers set the exam paper, while the responsibility of NTA officers is to keep an eye on them. Therefore, it is impossible for the paper to leak without the involvement of NTA staff, which is why the officers there are now also under scrutiny.
Suspicion has also increased because most of the 9 accused arrested so far have deleted their phone chats along with photo galleries. Many files have also been found deleted from laptops. A lot of data has been deleted from the phones of accused beautician Manisha Waghmare and broker Dhananjay Lokhande. CBI is collecting their digital evidence.
Beautician was in contact with NTA officer, got paper 6 days before exam
According to sources connected to the CBI, Manisha Waghamare was the first to come in contact with the experts setting the paper and NTA officers. She was the one who convinced Professor Manisha Mandhare to conduct classes at home and tell students the biology questions and answers that would appear in the exam. Similarly, Professor PV Kulkarni also conducted classes and told students the chemistry questions.
In return, PV Kulkarni received lakhs of rupees in cash through Manisha Waghamare, while the remaining amount was transferred to the account. The CBI has also found evidence of this. The paper from which both professors taught the students was burned immediately after the NEET exam on May 3, so that no evidence would remain. WhatsApp and Telegram chats related to this were also deleted.
Manisha Waghamare’s arrest was based on interrogation of Manisha Waghamare and paper leak mastermind PV Kulkarni.
Chemistry and Botany professors arrested, who is the Physics one?
In this case, so far Chemistry and Botany professors have been arrested. In such a situation, the question now is that if only those who set papers for these two subjects were involved in the leak, then how did the Physics questions get leaked. The investigation has revealed that out of the total 720 marks in the NEET paper, questions worth 600 marks were leaked before the exam.
In this, 35 out of 45 Chemistry questions matched. All 90 Biology questions matched, while 15 Physics questions matched. However, the link related to how the Physics questions were obtained has not come to light so far.
Suspicion of both set papers being leaked, questions included in guess paper
Two set papers are prepared for the NEET exam. One set is sent to centers for the exam, while the second is kept in reserve, so that in case of any suspicion of irregularity, the first set can be replaced with the second. The CBI suspects that both sets of NEET have been leaked. A guess paper was prepared from this and questions from both sets were mixed in it.
This is the reason why many questions and their options appear in the same sequence in the leaked paper, while some are found at different numbers. However, the questions and their options in the leaked paper and the NEET exam paper are exactly the same.
Paper set in February, printed by April 15-20, leaked on April 27
According to NTA sources, preparations for the NEET exam began in January this year. The internal process of paper setting was started from the last week of February. During this time, paper setting meetings are held at the NTA office, which include committee members who set the paper and the chief who finalizes it.
At the confidential location where the paper is set, no one except committee members and senior officers has entry. There is no internet facility inside either. One cannot take phones, any electronic gadgets, or Bluetooth inside. Even taking pen and paper inside is prohibited.
Two sets of papers are prepared, but the final decision on which set will be used in the exam rests with the NTA chief. After the two paper sets are finalized, they are translated into 13 languages. After this, both sets are sent for printing. It is being reported that both papers were printed between April 15-20.
After this, it was securely stored in bank lockers near the examination centers through transport. From here, the paper reached the exam center on May 3. However, even before this, on April 27, the paper had already been leaked and reached beautician Manisha Waghmare. After this, the chain of paper leak kept getting longer. Now CBI is engaged in connecting these links from the last end to the initial end.
Major reshuffle in NTA after NEET paper leak
After the paper leak, the central government has appointed four senior officials in NTA. These include two Joint Secretaries and two Joint Directors. Anuja Bapat and Ruchita Vij have been made Joint Secretaries, while Akash Jain and Aditya Rajendra Bhojgadiya have been made Joint Directors. DoPT issued orders for all appointments after ACC approval.
