Rajasthan SOG detains 20+ in NEET-UG 2026 suspected paperleak probe

Jaipur: Rajasthan Police’s Special Operations Group (SOG) has detained more than 20 people in connection with suspected malpractice in NEET-UG 2026 after the National Testing Agency received inputs from Rajasthan and Uttarakhand about question sets circulated before the May 3 exam that allegedly had ‘striking similarities’ with the actual paper.

SOG has summoned former RPSC member and acting chairman Shiv Singh Rathore for questioning, a day after the agency arrested three persons, including former RPSC member Babulal Katara, in connection with the alleged leak of the Agriculture Science paper of the 2022 School Lecturer Recruitment Examination.

At the same time, SOG officials said the probe is at a preliminary stage, and no FIR has been registered yet, nor have any arrests been made.

A senior SOG official told TOI that Rathore has been asked to appear before the agency for questioning related to the RPSC recruitment examination. However, the agency has not yet confirmed when Rathore is expected to appear before investigators.

SOG officials said a set of more than 400 questions was circulated days before the exam, with more than 100 biology and chemistry questions showing “striking similarities” to those in NEET 2026.

Anand Srivastava, Director General, SOG and ATS, said, “So far, it has been found that only 25% of the questions in the ‘guess paper’ or test materials circulated before the NEET exam showed striking similarities to the actual exam questions. It has also been found that the guess paper reached Sikar from Kerala, and inquiries in Kerala revealed that it was sent from Dehradun. However, nothing has been conclusively established yet.”

Searches were conducted in Sikar and other parts of Rajasthan, as well as in Dehradun. Investigators are tracing the origin of the question set, who prepared it, how it circulated, and whether money changed hands.

“The primary probe showed that questions related to the biology and chemistry sections have been found to overlap with the set of questions that were shared before the exam,” an official said.

Among those being questioned is a suspect who allegedly had the question set on April 30, three days before the exam. Investigators are also examining digital trails, communication records and possible links involving coaching operators and intermediaries.

When asked about arrests, Vishal Bansal, ADG, SOG and ATS, said, “Investigation is in preliminary stage, and no arrests have been made so far.”