The Indian government has deployed thousands of security personnel and installed jammers across examination centres today as the resit for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) for medical admissions goes ahead. This follows the largest paper leak scandal in the country's history, which compromised the integrity of the exam earlier this year.
Sources confirm that over 15,000 candidates are sitting the test at more than 2,000 centres, each under heavy surveillance. The National Testing Agency (NTA), which administers the exam, has implemented a host of new measures to prevent another breach. These include biometric verification, frisking of candidates, and the use of encrypted question papers delivered via secure government channels.
The scandal erupted in May when leaked question papers circulated on social media platforms before the original exam date. Investigations by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) have since uncovered a network of professional exam racketeers, coaching centres, and government officials who profited from selling the papers for sums up to 10 million rupees (roughly 110,000 pounds). To date, 28 people have been arrested, including the mastermind, a former employee of the NTA with access to the print shop.
Today's operation is being overseen by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Uncovered documents from the ministry's internal review reveal that the government was warned about vulnerabilities in the exam process as early as last year. Despite this, no significant action was taken until the leak forced a nationwide scandal.
Candidates arriving at centres in Delhi and Mumbai describe a climate of fear and frustration. One mother, speaking on condition of anonymity, said, 'My son has studied for two years for this exam. Now he is treated like a criminal. They even checked his shoes.'
The NTA insists that the resit will be fair and transparent. But critics argue that the damage to the credibility of the medical admissions process is already done. The Supreme Court, which ordered the resit, has demanded a full report from the government within a week.
The paper leak has drawn comparisons to the 2018 Vyapam scandal in Madhya Pradesh, where a similar network was exposed. In that case, over 2,000 arrests were made, but the system remained largely unchanged. Sources close to the investigation say the same pattern is repeating itself: corruption is met with temporary crackdowns, but the underlying pipelines of money and power remain intact.
This is a story about unaccountable power. The NTA is a government body that processes millions of examinations each year. Its revenue runs into billions of rupees. Yet its internal security protocols were found to be so lax that a single employee could walk out with question papers. The question now is whether the government has the will to reform a system that has been broken for years.
As the last candidates enter the exam hall, the streets outside are quiet. Police vans line the roads. The jammers hum. And somewhere, perhaps, the next network is already planning its operation.
