The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), in its chargesheet filed in the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak case, has revealed findings that raise questions about the National Testing Agency’s (NTA) examination process. According to the investigation, one of the key vulnerabilities was that some of the experts who prepared the question paper were also assigned the task of translating the final paper into regional languages. The CBI believes this arrangement was allegedly exploited to facilitate the paper leak.
According to the chargesheet, three arrested teachers, P V Kulkarni (Chemistry), Manisha Gurunath Mandare (Physics), and Manisha Sanjay Havaldar (Biology)—were members of the NTA’s paper-setting panel. The investigation alleges that because these teachers were involved in both preparing the question paper and translating it into Marathi, they had prolonged access to the final version of the examination paper. During this period, they allegedly memorised the questions and later shared them with selected students associated with their coaching institutes.
The CBI stated that the teachers were kept in a sanitised environment to maintain the confidentiality of the question paper. However, the agency alleges that they were also allowed to return home and continue taking their regular coaching classes. During this period, they allegedly taught students the same questions that later appeared in the NEET-UG 2026 examination, presenting them as “important questions.”
According to the investigation, the students were unaware that the questions being taught were part of the final examination paper. They were told only that these were likely or important questions for the exam.
The chargesheet also mentions Pune-based Manisha Waghmare. According to the CBI, she collected the questions from students and compiled them into a PDF document. The agency alleges that the PDF was later passed on to Dhananjay Lokhande, who subsequently shared it with others. The CBI claims that this network enabled the leaked questions to spread across multiple states.
During the investigation, the CBI also informed the NTA about the alleged security lapses in its examination process. The agency is preparing to submit detailed recommendations to the NTA to help prevent similar incidents in the future.
So far, the CBI has filed its first chargesheet against 13 arrested accused in the case. All of them are currently in judicial custody. The investigation is still underway, and the agency has said that further inquiry may uncover additional facts.
