"I Don't Have The Strength To Take NEET Again": How The NEET Paper Leak Changed Millions Of Futures

When 18-year-old Akanksha Chaturvedi sat for the NEET-UG exam on 3 May, she believed she was one step closer to becoming a doctor.

Months of preparation had led to that day. Her family had invested everything they could in her dream. Her father, a cook from Madhya Pradesh's Mauganj district, had even taken a Rs. 3 lakh loan through a Kisan Credit Card to fund her coaching in Nagpur.

Then came the news that changed everything.

NEET-UG 2026, one of the world's largest medical entrance exams with over 22 lakh applicants, was cancelled after a major paper leak came to light. A re-test was announced.

For Akanksha, the prospect of starting over felt impossible.

"I don't have the strength to take the NEET exam again," she wrote in a final note to her family.

"I did well in my first attempt, but now there is no guarantee that I will perform well again. I am sorry, mummy, papa."

Soon after, she was found dead. According to The Times of India, she had expected to score more than 650 marks and had reportedly been deeply distressed by the cancellation of the exam. 

Her death has become one of the starkest reminders of something often overlooked in discussions around exam scandals: the emotional toll borne by students.

So, What Exactly Happened?

The controversy began just days after the 3 May examination.

A "guess paper" started circulating online. At first, it appeared to be just another prediction sheet. But concerns grew when students noticed how closely it matched the actual NEET question paper.

Investigators later found that all 90 Biology questions and all 45 Chemistry questions from the official exam were present in the leaked document. 

Following The Leak Trail

According to NDTV, the leak began at a printing facility in Nashik, Maharashtra.

At the centre of the case is Shubham Khairnar, a 30-year-old engineering graduate from Nashik, who is accused of obtaining the question paper and helping circulate it through a wider network.

Authorities allege the paper was then passed to a Gurugram-based doctor, who acted as a key intermediary.

From there, Mangilal Biwal and Dinesh Biwal, two brothers from Rajasthan, allegedly purchased the paper for Rs. 30 lakh nearly a week before the exam.

Investigators claim the brothers shared it with family members and sold it to other aspirants.

Another accused, Yash Yadav from Gurugram, is alleged to have helped distribute the paper further.

The leaked paper spread through WhatsApp and Telegram groups, reaching students in Rajasthan, Haryana, Bihar, Kerala, Uttarakhand and Jammu & Kashmir.

How The Law Caught Up

The Centre handed the case to the CBI after reports of the paper leak emerged.

So far, nearly 13 people have been arrested, including Shubham Khairnar, Mangilal Biwal, Dinesh Biwal, Vikas Biwal and Yash Yadav. The latest arrests include Dr Manoj Shirure from Latur, who is accused of helping three students obtain leaked Chemistry questions, and Tejas Harshadkumar Shah, a physics faculty member at Pune-based APMA, who allegedly received leaked Physics questions.

The CBI has conducted searches at 49 locations and seized documents, laptops and mobile phones. The investigation remains ongoing.

Following the cancellation of the 3 May exam, the NEET-UG 2026 re-exam was scheduled for 21 June. The NTA told the Supreme Court that additional security measures have been introduced for the re-examination.

Several student deaths reported after the cancellation have intensified concerns about the mental health impact on aspirants.

Students seeking mental health support can contact TELE Manas, India's government-backed 24/7 helpline, at 14416 or 1800-891-4416.

Akanksha's story has become a painful symbol of the uncertainty facing millions of students whose futures were disrupted by the leak, a reminder that beyond the investigation, arrests, and court proceedings are young people carrying the weight of years of preparation and expectations.