Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday described the alleged NEET paper leak as a "ghor paap" (grave sin) and said the government took immediate action against those responsible. Speaking at the NDA Parliamentary Party meeting, Modi said 13 people accused in connection with the case had been arrested and were currently in custody.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said the government's response was focused on protecting the interests of medical aspirants and restoring confidence in the examination system. He said authorities acted promptly after the alleged leak surfaced, leading to the arrest and imprisonment of 13 accused.

According to Rijiju, the government subsequently ordered a fresh examination to ensure that students were not unfairly affected by the controversy. The re-test was conducted successfully and its results were announced within the stipulated timeline.

Rijiju said the Prime Minister had called for the harshest punishment possible for those found responsible for leaking examination papers. He added that strict legal action would serve as a deterrent and help prevent similar incidents in future.

NEET Paper Leak Case Under Supreme Court Scrutiny

The controversy surrounding the NEET examination continues to be examined by the Supreme Court, where several petitions related to the alleged paper leak are expected to be heard. Petitioners have sought a CBI probe and called for the dissolution of the National Testing Agency (NTA), questioning the manner in which the examination was conducted.

The dispute intensified after the NTA released its provisional answer key. Students and coaching centres raised concerns over an alleged "guess paper" that appeared to contain questions similar to those asked in the actual examination.

Investigators subsequently examined allegations that handwritten question material had circulated before the test, with particular attention being paid to claims emerging from Rajasthan.

The NTA referred allegations of malpractice in Rajasthan and Uttarakhand to central investigating agencies. Rajasthan Police also claimed during its probe that hundreds of questions had allegedly been leaked ahead of the examination, with a section of them purportedly matching questions in the final paper.

The investigation led to several arrests as authorities questioned individuals suspected of being connected to the alleged examination irregularities.

Re-Examination Leads to Fresh Disputes

After the original examination was cancelled amid concerns over its credibility, the Education Ministry announced a fresh NEET-UG examination. The re-test was subsequently held, followed by the declaration of results.

More than 11 lakh candidates were reported to have qualified for admission to undergraduate medical, dental, AYUSH and related courses across India.

However, the controversy did not end with the re-examination. Candidates in states including Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh later raised concerns over alleged discrepancies in marks and differences involving their OMR answer sheets.

The NTA rejected claims of widespread manipulation, maintaining that its evaluation system was secure. The agency also cautioned students against circulating fabricated or AI-generated OMR documents and issued separate explanations in response to allegations involving score changes and possible OMR sheet swaps.

The NEET controversy therefore continues on two fronts: the criminal investigation into the alleged paper leak and the broader legal and administrative questions surrounding the examination's conduct and credibility.