Arrested accused with Bihar Police (Image Source: One India)
Bihar police have arrested 13 individuals in connection with a major paper leak scandal involving the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) 2024. Four of the arrested have confessed to their involvement in leaking the exam paper.
Anurag Yadav, one of the accused, revealed that he received the NEET question paper a day before the exam and was instructed to memorize it. “When I went for the exam, I found the same questions which I had memorized correctly. After the exam, the police came and caught me, and I confessed my crime,” Yadav said.
Sikandar Yadavendu, another accused who acted as a middleman, disclosed that he facilitated the leak by collaborating with Nitish Kumar and Amit Anand, who promised access to the paper. Yadavendu, a junior engineer at the Danapur municipal council, demanded Rs 40 lakh from each student for the question paper, intending to earn a Rs 10 lakh commission. He was arrested with the students’ admit cards during a vehicle check the day after the exam and subsequently confessed during police interrogation.
Yadavendu identified the primary conspirators, Amit Anand and Nitish Kumar. According to Yadavendu, Anand and Kumar provided the leaked question paper to the students on May 4. The students, including Anurag Yadav, were made to memorize the answers for the exam held on May 5. Following their arrest, Anand and Kumar admitted their roles in the scandal and described how their collusion with Yadavendu led to the leak.
The investigation, led by the Shastri Nagar police station, revealed that the accused had fraudulently acquired a passport and maintained contact with multiple terror organizations through online channels. The police have registered a case under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Explosive Substances Act.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah held a meeting to discuss NEET irregularities and was briefed about the FIRs filed in Bihar, with the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe suggesting a paper leak. Despite earlier denials by Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, the Modi government has acknowledged the issue following the emerging details.
Anurag Yadav’s detailed confession highlighted the organized nature of the leak. “I returned from Kota and was taken to Amit Anand and Nitish Kumar by my uncle on the night of May 4, where I was given the NEET exam question paper and answer sheet, which I was made to study and memorize overnight. My examination centre was DY Patil school,” he stated. Yadav confirmed that the questions he memorized matched those on the actual exam.
Sikandar Yadavendu admitted his involvement was driven by greed. “Amit and Nitish told me that the question papers for NEET would be leaked and cost about Rs 30–32 lakh. I agreed and told them about four students. On May 4, I took all four students to a place where aspirants were already cramming up answers for all the questions. Out of greed, I asked for Rs 40 lakh from each student instead of the original amount,” he confessed.
The Bihar Economic Offenses Unit (EOU) ADG Nayyar Hasnain has been summoned by the Ministry of Education and the Union Home Ministry for a detailed report on the investigation. The EOU has collected substantial evidence, including burnt question papers, OMR sheets, and mobile phones. The Supreme Court has emphasized the importance of addressing any negligence in the NEET-UG 2024 exam conduct and has stayed proceedings in various High Courts following the NTA’s plea for transferring petitions to the apex court.
NSUI (National Students’ Union of India) staged a protest outside Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s residence in Delhi, highlighting NEET and UGC-NET issues. The protesters were detained by the police, underscoring the widespread discontent and demand for justice among students.
The National Testing Agency (NTA) has established an expert committee to investigate the provision of grace marks in the NEET UG 2024 results. This decision comes amid allegations and controversies surrounding the exam. At a press conference held today, NTA Director General Subodh Kumar Singh assured that the integrity of the examination had not been compromised despite irregularities affecting approximately 1,600 candidates.
The NEET UG 2024 exam, which took place on May 5, was conducted for over 24 lakh candidates at 4,750 centres in 571 cities. Of these, only 1,600 students from six exam centres experienced issues.” Initially, 17 students were on the topper list. Due to a Physics answer challenge, 44 candidates scored between 715 to 720, increasing the number of toppers to 61,” Singh explained.
The problems involved the incorrect distribution of question papers and damaged OMR sheets, leading to candidates losing time during the exam. These candidates subsequently approached the High Courts demanding a retest or compensation for lost time. The courts were informed of the committee’s formation, resulting in the dismissal of the petitions. The committee then recommended compensatory marks for the affected students.
The NEET-UG examination, conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA), is crucial for admissions to medical and related courses in India.
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