NEET-UG 2026 Scandal: Student’s Viral Share Uncovers P.V. Kulkarni’s Paper Leak

The alleged NEET-UG 2026 paper leak case has taken a dramatic turn after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested retired chemistry professor P.V. Kulkarni from Maharashtra’s Latur district. According to investigators, Kulkarni was not part of any large organized crime syndicate but allegedly leaked the chemistry paper to promote his private coaching classes and attract more students. CBI officials said Kulkarni had retired four years ago from a reputed college but was still connected with academic circles. He was reportedly a member of the committee responsible for preparing chemistry questions for the NEET-UG examination. The agency registered the case on May 12 after receiving a written complaint from the Higher Education Department under the Ministry of Education regarding suspicious activities linked to the entrance exam. Investigators claim that Kulkarni secretly conducted “special coaching sessions” for selected students at a residence in Pune with the help of his associate, Manisha Waghmare. During these sessions, students were allegedly given detailed information about questions likely to appear in the examination, along with answer options and correct solutions. In exchange, large amounts of money were reportedly collected from students seeking an advantage in the highly competitive medical entrance exam. However, the entire plan reportedly collapsed because of one student’s careless action. According to CBI sources, one of the students who attended the special classes shared the leaked “guess paper” with others through social media and coaching networks. The student allegedly wanted to recover the money spent on the coaching by circulating the material among other candidates and institutes. This unexpected leak caused the paper to spread rapidly among hundreds of students and coaching operators across different regions. While some students reportedly treated the leaked material seriously, many others ignored it, assuming it was only another prediction-based guess paper commonly circulated before competitive exams. Over the past 24 hours, the CBI has conducted raids at multiple locations across the country. During these searches, officials seized mobile phones, electronic devices, documents, and digital evidence believed to be linked to the case. The confiscated materials have been sent to the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) for technical and forensic examination. Sources within the investigation say the agency has already identified the original source of the chemistry paper leak as well as middlemen who allegedly connected students to the special coaching classes. Authorities suspect that several students paid lakhs of rupees to gain access to the leaked content. So far, the CBI has arrested seven accused individuals in connection with the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak investigation. The case has once again raised serious concerns about transparency, corruption, and the growing commercialization of competitive exam coaching in India.