In a significant development, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested two individuals involved in the NEET-UG paper leak from Bihar’s Hazaribagh. Pankaj Kumar, also known as Aaditya, and his associate Raju Singh were apprehended today. Kumar was arrested in Patna, while Singh was caught in Jamshedpur. Kumar, a civil engineering graduate from NIT Jamshedpur in 2017, is accused of stealing the exam papers from the National Testing Agency’s (NTA) trunk.
Origin of the Leak
The CBI’s investigation identified Hazaribagh as the origin of the NEET-UG paper leak. The probe revealed that the paper was leaked by Oasis School in Hazaribagh. Two sets of question papers dispatched to this school had their seals broken, but the staff did not report the breach, thus implicating their involvement.
“Nine sets of question papers were sent from SBI Hazaribagh to various centers. The sets that reached Oasis School had their seals broken, and the staff failed to raise an alarm, establishing their role in the leak,” a senior CBI official disclosed.
Investigation Details
Based on technical evidence, the CBI conducted searches at Learn and Play School in Patna, where they recovered some burnt papers. This case was initially investigated by the Bihar Economic Offences Unit (EOU).
On June 21, the NTA confirmed that the code matched the papers found at Oasis School. The school’s principal, Dr. Ehsanul Haque, who was also the district coordinator for the NEET-UG exam in Hazaribagh, and the vice-principal, Imtiaz Alam, the center coordinator, were implicated in the leak.
Widespread Irregularities and Arrests
The CBI has registered multiple First Information Reports (FIRs) and made nearly 60 arrests related to the alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG exam, which was held on May 5 this year. The exam, conducted by the NTA for admissions to MBBS, BDS, AYUSH, and other related courses in both government and private institutions, has been marred by allegations of cheating and impersonation.
The CBI FIR from Bihar pertains to paper leaks, while FIRs registered in Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Maharashtra are linked to impersonation and cheating.
Examination and Retest Statistics
This year’s NEET-UG exam was conducted at 4,750 centers in 571 cities, including 14 abroad, with over 23 lakh candidates appearing. In an unprecedented occurrence, 67 students scored a perfect 720, raising suspicions of irregularities, particularly since six of these students were from a center in Haryana.
Following allegations and investigations, the number of candidates sharing the top rank was reduced from 67 to 61 after the NTA conducted a retest for 1,563 candidates. Interestingly, 48% of the students scheduled for the retest on June 24 did not turn up. Of the total, 813 students (52%) took the retest, while 750 skipped it, according to data released by the NTA.
The CBI continues to probe the allegations of paper leaks and other irregularities in this year’s NEET-UG exam, aiming to ensure the integrity of the examination process.
