By Arindam Ganguly, OP
Bhubaneswar: The alleged irregularities and suspected paper leak in the NEET-UG 2026 examination have left many aspirants across Odisha distressed, with several describing the controversy as mentally exhausting after years of preparation.
The issue has now snowballed into a nationwide controversy, prompting the CBI to register an FIR following a complaint from the Ministry of Education. Officials said the case has been registered under provisions related to criminal conspiracy, cheating, criminal breach of trust, theft and destruction of evidence under the BNS, besides sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act and the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024.
Special CBI teams have been deployed at multiple locations to probe the alleged breach in the conduct of the examination. Candidate Tanvi Sahu said she was “deeply saddened” by the controversy, noting that students had spent over two years preparing for the examination.
Calling the situation “mentally draining,” she said she plans to take a short break to cope with the stress and suggested that conducting NEET online could help prevent future paper leaks.
Another aspirant, Swastik Pattanaik, expressed frustration over recurring examination controversies, saying repeated leaks continue to undermine students’ efforts. Referring to similar incidents in previous exams, he said he hoped to secure admission through JEE to avoid “going through this suffering again,” underscoring the emotional strain faced by aspirants.
Another candidate, Shagun Samantaray, termed the situation “an injustice to lakhs of students,” saying repeated disruptions undermine years of hard work and preparation. She said aspirants are often forced to begin preparations afresh due to failures beyond their control. The controversy has triggered widespread outrage on social media, with many netizens criticising authorities over recurring lapses in examination security.
A user, Hara Sahu, said the education system must be held accountable for the distress caused to nearly 22 lakh students, questioning the failure of authorities to prevent such incidents. The controversy has also drawn sharp political responses.
Opposition BJD and Congress demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan following the cancellation of the exam, alleging that he has “frequently failed” to maintain the sanctity of examinations. Former chief minister and Leader of the Opposition Naveen Patnaik described the alleged leak as a “severe blow” to the trust students place in India’s examination system.
“When the sanctity of examinations is compromised, it is not just a lapse-it is a betrayal of lakhs of aspirants who studied with discipline, sacrificed comforts, and devoted sleepless nights to their preparation,” he said in a post on X.
“This is not the first time #NEET papers have been leaked. The leaks deepen cynicism, heighten anxiety, and jeopardise the careers of hardworking students who expect fairness,” Patnaik said.
Addressing a press conference, BJD’s youth wing president Chinmay Sahu and its students’ wing chief Ipsita Sahoo asserted that the Central government has toyed with the future of 22 lakh aspirants.
In a presser, OPCC spokesperson Debashish Bhuyan alleged that the Centre has pushed the future of students into uncertainty. “In 2019, the NTA was formed to ensure transparency in conduct of the NEET exam. But ironically, several irregularities were reported in the same year,” he claimed.