On May 12, 2026, NTA cancelled the NEET UG exam held on May 3. The reason was a paper leak. The question students have been asking since then, is NEET 2026 paper leaked? has a clear answer from the CBI: yes, for the May 3 exam. But the Re-NEET held on June 21 is a separate examination with a new paper and a result expected by July 20. This guide covers what the CBI investigation has found, what it means for 13 arrested accused, and most importantly, what it means for students waiting for their scorecard and counselling registration.
What Happened? The NEET 2026 Paper Leak Timeline
| Date | Event |
| May 3, 2026 | Original NEET UG 2026 exam held |
| May 12, 2026 | NTA cancels the May 3 exam, paper leak allegations confirmed |
| May 12 onwards | CBI registers FIR, investigation begins |
| June 21, 2026 | Re-NEET UG 2026 conducted for all affected students |
| June 25, 2026 | Provisional answer key released |
| June 25–28, 2026 | Answer key challenge window, over 10,000 objections raised |
| July 13, 2026 | OMR response sheet released at neet.nta.nic.in |
| July 15, 2026 | OMR challenge window closed at 11 AM |
| July 16, 2026 | CBI presents leak evidence in court, Latur coaching owner’s case |
| July 17, 2026 (expected) | NTA completes OMR objection review |
| July 18, 2026 (expected) | Final answer key and scorecard released together |
| July 20, 2026 (expected) | Re-NEET 2026 result declared at neet.nta.nic.in |
| Last week of July 2026 | MCC counselling registration expected to open |
Is NEET 2026 Paper Leaked? What the CBI Found
The most significant development in the NEET 2026 paper leak investigation came on July 16, 2026, when the CBI presented evidence in a special court while opposing a bail application filed by Latur-based coaching centre owner Shivraj Raghunath Motegaonkar.
What the CBI alleged in court:
Motegaonkar allegedly paid ₹5 lakh to P V Kulkarni, a member of the NTA panel that set the NEET UG 2026 question paper, to procure chemistry questions before the May 3 examination. Motegaonkar’s son attended Kulkarni’s chemistry tutorial classes where Kulkarni reportedly provided the questions there. Motegaonkar then allegedly prepared handwritten notes from those questions.
What was recovered from Motegaonkar’s phone:
The CBI recovered Motegaonkar’s phone and found 36 images, including five duplicate images containing 132 handwritten chemistry questions. Of these 132 questions, 111 allegedly match questions in NTA’s master question sets prepared for NEET UG 2026. Critically, metadata analysis showed that Motegaonkar took these photographs approximately 10 days before the May 3 examination, establishing that the questions existed in handwritten form well before the exam took place.
How Many People Have Been Arrested?
The CBI has arrested 13 people in connection with the NEET UG 2026 paper leak, all currently in judicial custody. Courts have granted bail to none of the accused so far
| Accused | Role | Status |
| Shivraj Raghunath Motegaonkar | Latur coaching centre owner | Judicial custody |
| P V Kulkarni | NTA paper setter, Chemistry | Judicial custody |
| Manoj Bhagwanrao Shirure | Co-accused, money recovery | Judicial custody |
| 10 others | Various roles in leak chain | Judicial custody |
The Critical Distinction: May 3 Exam vs Re-NEET June 21
Students asking is NEET 2026 paper leaked need to understand one critical distinction before anything else. The paper leak relates to the May 3, 2026 examination; which was cancelled. The Re-NEET UG 2026 conducted on June 21 is a completely separate examination with a new paper and revised security protocols.
| Category | May 3 Exam | Re-NEET June 21 |
| Status | Cancelled, paper leak confirmed | Conducted, result expected July 20 |
| Paper security | Compromised, CBI investigation ongoing | New paper, separate question sets |
| Result | Not declared | Expected July 20, 2026 |
| Counselling | Not applicable | MCC counselling expected last week of July |
Students who appeared in Re-NEET on June 21 are competing based on the June 21 examination, not the cancelled May 3 paper. The CBI investigation does not affect Re-NEET results or counselling.
Is NEET 2026 Paper Leaked in a Way That Affects the Re-NEET Result?
No, and this point deserves clear emphasis.
The Re-NEET 2026 result expected by July 20 is based entirely on the June 21 examination. NTA has completed the following steps toward result declaration:
- OMR sheets released July 13, 2026
- OMR challenge window closed July 15, 2026 at 11 AM
- NTA reviewing OMR objections, expected completion July 17
- Final answer key and scorecard expected July 18
- Result expected July 20, 2026
The ongoing CBI investigation runs parallel to, and independently of the Re-NEET result declaration process. Unless a court order specifically delays the result, Re-NEET 2026 result is expected to proceed on schedule.
What Students Must Focus On Right Now?
With the result expected by July 20, here is the exact action checklist:
Before July 20:
- Keep application number and password ready, needed to download scorecard at neet.nta.nic.in
- Research target colleges across AIQ and state quota based on estimated score
- Update bank account details for fee refund, deadline extended to July 31, 2026
On Result Day:
- Download scorecard immediately, verify all fields before closing the portal
- Note both All India Rank and category rank, both needed for different counselling processes
- Save at least 3 copies, digital and printed
After July 20:
- Register for MCC AIQ counselling at mcc.nic.in, expected last week of July
- Register separately for Tamil Nadu state quota counselling
- Both registrations are independent, missing either means losing those seats
What This Means for NEET Reform and NEET 2027?
The NEET UG 2026 paper leak has accelerated the government’s plans to reform NTA and overhaul the examination process. Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has announced that NEET 2027 will move to a Computer Based Test format, conducted over 5 to 6 days across 1,000 centres, primarily at government institutions like Kendriya Vidyalayas and Navodaya Vidyalayas.
The NTA revamp described as “top to bottom” by government sources, is expected to be completed before October 2026. For students writing Re-NEET and waiting for July 20, the investigation is background context. The result, the counselling, and the admission process continue on their own timeline.
While the CBI wraps up its review, use this time to recalculate your score with the bonus marks applied: NEET Marking Scheme 2026: Bonus Marks, Dropped Questions and Two Correct Answers Explained
Check official Re-NEET 2026 result at neet.nta.nic.in
Author
