From the Rajasthan REET scandal to the nationwide outrage over the NEET UG paper leak controversy, India’s examination system has increasingly come under scrutiny for corruption, institutional failures, political blame games, and organized cheating networks. In between, Rajasthan emerged as the epicenter of this exam paper leak crisis during the Congress government’s tenure from 2018 to 2023. Over 12 lakh students were affected after multiple recruitment examinations were cancelled, leaked, or investigated.
Rajasthan Paper Leak Timeline: How Rajasthan Became Epicentre of Paper Leak Crisis?
During the Congress government, there were multiple paper leaks in a major recruitment exam of India. Check the competitive exam paper leak that happened in various timelines.
2015 AIPMT Paper Leak: The Bluetooth Cheating Scandal: Before NEET became the single national medical entrance exam, CBSE conducted the All India Pre-Medical Test (AIPMT). The 2015 case remains one of the biggest exam scandals in India. On May 3, 2015, Haryana Police uncovered a highly organised cheating racket operating across multiple states. Investigators found individuals using specially designed vests fitted with micro-SIM cards and Bluetooth devices
Librarian Grade-III Paper Leak (2019): The first major paper leak controversy erupted in December 2019 when the Librarian Grade-III examination paper got surfaced on WhatsApp merely hours before the exam. Authorities eventually cancelled the recruitment process after reports of widespread circulation emerged.
JEN Civil Exam Leak (2020): In December 2020, the Junior Engineer (Civil) examination paper leak happened. During this exam paper leak, public outrage was on the roads because aspirants preparing honestly felt increasingly disadvantaged compared to those allegedly purchasing leaked papers through organized networks.
NEET UG 2021 Leak: The 2021 NEET UG controversy highlighted weaknesses inside examination centres themselves. Jaipur Police exposed a real-time leak operation at the Rajasthan Institute of Engineering and Technology (RIET) exam centre. It was found that an invigilator allegedly took the photos of physics and chemistry sections and sending it to solvers gang.
REET 2021 Paper Leak: The REET exam paper leak became the defining scandal of Rajasthan’s recruitment crisis. REET examination involved lakhs of candidates competing for teaching positions across the state. However, investigations later alleged that the REET question paper had been stolen directly from Shiksha Sankul that was the Rajasthan’s highly secured education headquarters.
It does not stop here. It continued to the Police Constable exam in May 2022, Senior Teacher Grade II in December 2022, and many more.
NEET UG 2026 Paper Leak: If we talk about the NEET 2026 paper leak, again the main centre was Sikar Rajasthan. However, under the BJP government, the decision was made instant with the cancellation of NEET 2026 and announcement to conduct Re NEET 2026 along with the NEET registration fee refund.
The Rajiv Gandhi Study Circle (RGSC) Connection: A Convenient Pipeline?
Among the many controversies surrounding the REET 2021 paper leak, one connection continued to raise uncomfortable political questions: the alleged link between accused individuals and the Rajiv Gandhi Study Circle (RGSC). Critics described it as the “loose end” that the Congress government could never fully explain away. The controversy intensified after Pradeep Parashar, allegedly identified as one of the key figures in the REET leak network, was found to have served not only as Jaipur District Coordinator for the examination but also as a prominent member associated with the RGSC, an organization chaired by then Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot himself. It will always be questioned whether Rajasthan’s competitive examinations had quietly transformed into “party coordination projects” where political proximity became more valuable than institutional neutrality.
Sachin Pilot vs Ashok Gehlot: Congress’s Internal Civil War Over Paper Leaks
One of the most damaging aspects of the controversy was that criticism came not only from opposition parties but also from within Congress itself. We all heard about the Sachin Pilot’s “Magic Locker” Attack, when in January 2023, Sachin Pilot publicly mocked the Gehlot government’s explanations regarding repeated leaks from supposedly secure facilities. Pilot questioned how papers stored inside iron lockers could repeatedly reach students unless individuals responsible for safeguarding them had themselves enabled access.
The Udaipur Bus Case: India’s Most Shocking Paper Leak Incident?
This incident happened in Udaipur in December 2022, when a bus in Udaipur carrying around 40 candidates allegedly solving leaked papers before the Senior Teacher Grade-II examination was country-wide spread. The authorities intercepted the bus in between. It also shows the level of organised network that Congress watered to flourish. Some of the names like Suresh Dhaka and Bhupendra Saran repeatedly surfaced in investigations for this Udaipur Bus Paper leak case which was again connected to organized leak syndicates.
BJP Government’s Crackdown After December 2023
After coming to power in Rajasthan, the BJP government led by Bhajan Lal Sharma launched aggressive investigations into pending leak cases. Some of the major actions took place after the formation of SIT which were.
- Reopening older leak cases,
- Arrests of accused individuals,
- Action against absconding suspects,
- Crackdowns on alleged kingpins.
Mental Health Crisis Among Aspirants After Paper Leaks
Behind every cancelled examination is not just a postponed recruitment process, but an entire generation of students struggling with emotional, psychological, and financial trauma. For lakhs of aspirants across India, competitive exams are not ordinary tests. The competitive exams in India require years of sacrifice, sleepless nights, family expectations, and hopes for a secure future. When a paper leak leads to cancellation, students are forced to relive the same exhausting preparation cycle all over again, often without any certainty that the system will be fair the next time.
