NEET Leak: CBI Arrests NTA Expert, Pune Botany Teacher

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has made a significant arrest in the ongoing NEET-UG 2026 paper leak investigation, apprehending Manisha Gurunath Mandhare, a senior Botany teacher from Pune, Maharashtra. Mandhare was arrested in Delhi following extensive questioning by the agency. Crucially, Mandhare was not just a teacher but had been appointed by the National Testing Agency (NTA) as an expert, granting her direct access to the Botany and Zoology question papers for the NEET-UG 2026 examination. The CBI's investigation revealed that during April 2026, Mandhare allegedly mobilised prospective NEET candidates through Manisha Waghmare of Pune, who had been arrested earlier on May 14. Mandhare reportedly conducted special coaching classes at her Pune residence, where she allegedly disclosed several Botany and Zoology questions to students, instructing them to note them down in notebooks and textbooks. A substantial number of these questions reportedly matched the actual NEET-UG 2026 question paper, which was conducted on May 3, 2026, and later cancelled due to the widespread leak. This arrest marks a major breakthrough, as Mandhare is identified as a second alleged mastermind in the paper leak case, following the arrest of retired Chemistry professor P.V. Kulkarni just a day prior on May 15, 2026. Kulkarni, a native of Latur and a chemistry domain expert, was also associated with the NTA as part of the panel involved in setting the question paper. Similar to Mandhare, Kulkarni allegedly misused his access to confidential material, conducting coaching sessions at his Pune residence where he dictated Chemistry questions, options, and correct answers that later tallied with the actual exam paper. The arrests of Mandhare and Kulkarni, both NTA-affiliated experts, confirm the CBI's assertion that the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak traces back to sources within the National Testing Agency itself. The agency is intensifying its probe to identify other NTA officials and government functionaries potentially involved in the conspiracy. The NEET-UG 2026 examination, taken by over 22.79 lakh students, was cancelled on May 12, 2026, amidst widespread allegations of malpractice and paper leaks. Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan announced that a re-examination for affected candidates would be held on June 21, 2026, and that from the next academic year, the NEET-UG test would transition to a computer-based format. The government has reiterated its commitment to ensuring transparency and punishing those responsible for compromising the integrity of national examinations. So far, nine accused have been arrested in connection with the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak from various cities including Delhi, Jaipur, Gurugram, Nashik, Pune, and Ahilyanagar. The CBI has conducted searches at multiple locations across the country, seizing incriminating documents, laptops, bank statements, and mobile phones, which are currently undergoing detailed analysis. The investigation has also brought coaching institutes under scrutiny, with the director of a Latur-based coaching center being questioned. This unfolding scandal has raised serious concerns about the robustness of India's examination security architecture and the credibility of the NTA. The government acknowledges the systemic failure despite implementing recommendations from previous paper leak controversies.

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