NEET Paper Leak: Candidate confesses using leaked paper

The NEET-UG (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test-Undergraduate) examination, which took place on May 5, has been surrounded by allegations of the NEET Paper Leak and irregularities.

The Patna Police arrested four NEET-UG candidates who confessed to having access to leaked question papers that matched the actual exam papers. The arrested candidates—Anurag Yadav, Ayush Raj, Abhishek Kumar, and Shivanandan Kumar—pointed to three individuals who facilitated their access: Sikandar Prasad Yadavendu, Amit Anand, and Nitish Kumar. Yadavendu, a Junior Engineer in Bihar’s Danapur Town Council, played a central role in this scandal. Anurag Yadav, Yadavendu’s nephew, received the leaked question paper from him. Amit Anand and Nitish Kumar further assisted him in preparing for the exam.

Bribery and Complicity

Abhishek Kumar’s father, Awdhesh Kumar, admitted to bribing officials to ensure his son’s success in the NEET exam.

“I signed a blank cheque for them a year ago. Two blank cheques from my account were given over to Yadavendu in exchange for my son passing the NEET exam,” Awdhesh Kumar claimed in his letter.

The settlement for this arrangement amounted to a staggering Rs 40 lakh.

This comes hours after India Today accessed a confessional note by Yadavendu as well as other documents exposing the alleged participation of a ‘Mantri Ji’, who allegedly proposed that Yadav, his mother, and other conspirators stay at a government house in Patna.

Education Ministry’s Response:

The Union Education Ministry sought a report from the Bihar Police’s Economic Offences Unit regarding the alleged irregularities in the NEET exam in Patna.

“Regarding certain irregularities alleged in the conduct of the examination in Patna, a detailed report has been sought from the Economic Offences Unit, Bihar Police. The government will take further action on receipt of this report,” a senior ministry official said.

“The government is committed to ensuring the sanctity of examinations and protecting the interests of students. It is reiterated that any individual or organisation found involved in this matter will face the strictest action,” the source stated.

The NEET UG examination was conducted across 4,750 centers, with approximately 24 lakh candidates appearing for it. The results, initially expected on June 14, were announced earlier on June 4 due to the completion of answer sheet evaluations.

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