NTA Chief Facing Parliament Panel Refuses to Call NEET Paper Breach a 'Leak' Amid CBI Probe

Amid growing public fury over the extensive network involved in the NEET question paper breach, National Testing Agency (NTA) Director General Abhishek Singh appeared before a parliamentary panel on Thursday. Facing intense scrutiny from the Standing Committee on Education, Women, Children, Youth and Sports, Singh answered for the massive examination crisis that led to the historic cancellation of the nationwide medical entrance test.

Yet, despite the high-stakes confrontation, the NTA leadership stood their ground. Sources reveal that Singh informed the committee that the agency does not currently view the NEET examination as having been "leaked."

Opposition Confronts NTA While Ruling MPs Back Chief

During the heated session, opposition members repeatedly pressed the NTA officials for accountability. However, the agency representatives maintained that because the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is actively probing the matter, the NTA will not officially recognize it as a paper leak until the CBI concludes its investigation and provides definitive confirmation.

Panel Raises Prior Concerns

Committee Chairman Digvijaya Singh raised a barrage of questions during the proceedings, confronting the NTA officials about previous incidents of alleged paper leaks. Interestingly, sources noted that lawmakers from the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) stepped in to support the NTA’s stance throughout the deliberations.

The fallout from the breach has already upended the schedules of millions of medical aspirants. Following disclosures that a significant portion of the test questions had been compromised, the results of the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test Undergraduate (NEET-UG), which was conducted on May 3, were voided just two days later.

A fresh NEET re-examination is now scheduled to take place on June 21.

CBI Custody Extended as Multi-State Scam Unravels

This parliamentary showdown coincides with rapid developments in the criminal investigation. The CBI has executed multiple arrests, exposing a sophisticated, multi-state network operating between teachers trusted to write the NTA papers and the owners of private coaching centers. Law enforcement has arrested 10 individuals so far.

On Wednesday, a Delhi court sent five of the accused to judicial custody until June 2, while extending the CBI's investigative custody for another suspect as detectives work to unravel the full scope of the examination scam.

Accused Sent to Judicial Custody by Special Judge Ajay Gupta:
• Mangilal Khatik (Arrested from Jaipur)
• Vikas Biwal     (Arrested from Jaipur)
• Dinesh Biwal    (Arrested from Jaipur)
• Yash Yadav      (Arrested from Gurugram)
• Dhananjay Lokhande (Arrested from Ahilyanagar, Maharashtra)

Tracing the Paper Trail: Inside the Conspiracy

The CBI informed Special Judge Ajay Gupta that it is still hunting down the core conspiracy and attempting to pinpoint the exact source of the stolen question paper. Prosecutors noted that the investigation requires taking the suspects to various locations across India, including Nashik in Maharashtra.

The Key Players Implicated

The web of suspects features alleged mastermind PV Kulkarni and co-conspirator Manisha Sanjay Waghmare. The CBI also apprehended Manisha Mandhare, a biology lecturer who reportedly served directly on the NTA’s official paper-setting panel.

According to federal investigators, Waghmare allegedly conspired with a public official connected to the NTA to secure the NEET question paper and answer keys before the exam date. The CBI claims she then distributed the confidential materials to several buyers, including the accused Dhananjay Lokhande, in exchange for large sums of money.

Furthermore, investigators assert that Kulkarni, acting as a "subject expert," collaborated with Waghmare to supply the compromised exam content to specific students for massive financial payouts. The latest breakthrough occurred on May 17, when the CBI made its tenth arrest, taking Shivraj Raghunath Motegoankar, founder of the Renukai Career Centre coaching institute in Latur, into custody.
 

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