NEET-UG 2026 Re-Exam: Student Caught Using Phone Hidden In Toilet Flush Tank At Hyderabad Centre

New Delhi: An 18-year-old candidate appearing for the NEET-UG 2026 re-examination was caught allegedly using a mobile phone concealed inside a toilet flush tank at an examination centre in Hyderabad on Sunday, police said.

The incident took place at the Zilla Parishad High School (ZPHS) in Ragannaguda under the Adibatla Police Station limits. According to Hyderabad City Police, the accused, a resident of Achampet, had meticulously planned the cheating attempt in advance.

Police said the candidate arrived at the examination centre around 7 a.m. and accessed the school washroom ventilator, which was adjacent to the compound wall, to place a mobile phone inside the premises before the examination began. At around 11 a.m., he entered the washroom again and concealed the device, packed in a zip-lock cover, inside the toilet flush tank.

Authorities said the examination centre had undergone two rounds of security inspections-at 6 am and 11 am-while all candidates were subjected to strict frisking before entering the examination hall. However, the hidden phone remained undetected during the checks.

During the examination, the student complained of stomach pain and sought permission to use the restroom. After noticing that he had spent an unusually long time inside, the invigilator sent staff members to check on him. They found the candidate inside the washroom allegedly using the concealed mobile phone to search for answers.

Police immediately seized the device. A forensic inspection revealed that the candidate had been using Google Chrome to look up answers during the examination. Apart from Instagram, no other suspicious applications were found on the phone.

During interrogation, the accused allegedly confessed to the offence. He has been taken into police custody.

Based on a complaint lodged by the school administration, police registered a case under Section 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Sections 10 read with 3 of the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024.

The incident comes amid heightened security arrangements for the nationwide NEET-UG re-examination, with authorities enforcing strict anti-malpractice measures at centres across the country.

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