Google has removed the messaging app Telegram from its Play Store in India, with Apple expected to follow, in compliance with a government order aimed at preventing paper leaks during the upcoming NEET-UG re-examination on June 21. The government has also directed Telegram to temporarily disable its message-editing feature until June 30.
The plea alleged that NEET-UG, 2024, was riddled with malpractices as various instances of paper leaks have come to the knowledge of the petitioners.
The suicide of a NEET aspirant in Uttar Pradesh, allegedly due to the cancellation of the medical entrance exam, has triggered strong reactions from opposition leaders who are demanding accountability and compensation for the family.
The CBI is investigating the alleged involvement of a public servant associated with the National Testing Agency (NTA) in the NEET-UG paper leak case. Several arrests have been made, including lecturers and individuals accused of distributing leaked questions for monetary gain.
National Testing Agency (NTA) director general Abhishek Singh on Tuesday said the schedule for the re-conduct of the cancelled NEET-UG 2026 examination would be announced within the next seven to ten days, while assuring students that strict action was being taken against those involved in the alleged paper leak.
The Supreme Court has declined an urgent hearing on petitions challenging the June 21 NEET-UG 2026 re-test, stating that all related matters will be heard by Justice P S Narasimha's bench in July. Students are seeking reconsideration of the re-test date due to mental trauma, inadequate preparation time, and concerns over examination integrity following the cancellation of the original May 3 exam.
A 17-year-old NEET aspirant in Lucknow allegedly died by suicide, reportedly due to depression following the cancellation of the NEET-UG examination and the pressure of the upcoming re-exam. Her family stated she was hopeful after the initial exam but became distressed after its cancellation.
A police official in Nagpur has been issued a show cause notice for allegedly failing to attach the suicide note of a female NEET aspirant, Akanksha Chaturvedi, to the case papers. Chaturvedi, 18, died by suicide after the NEET-UG exam was cancelled due to paper leak allegations, expressing fears about a retest in her note. The incident has drawn national attention, and an inquiry into the police lapse is underway.
Stressing that every question paper has been "accounted for", the NTA said that purported images of the question paper circulating on social media have no relation with the actual paper.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested two persons including a key accused in the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test-Undergraduate (NEET-UG) paper leak case who allegedly stole the paper from a National Testing Agency's trunk in Hazaribagh in Jharkhand, officials said Tuesday.
The Cockroach Janta Party and other organisations staged a protest in Hyderabad on Sunday, demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the NEET paper leak and irregularities related to the CBSE's on-screen marking system.
The Indian government has temporarily restricted access to the Telegram messaging app and disabled its message-editing feature in India until June 22, 2026, and June 30, 2026, respectively, ahead of the NEET-UG 2026 re-examination to combat organised cheating rackets.
The top court, however, refused to stay the counselling of successful candidates for admissions to Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery, Bachelor of Dental Surgery and other courses.
In the emotional note, the student, Akanksha Chaturvedi, said there was 'no guarantee' that she would score good marks in the retest, and said she had 'ruined everything' for them.
A 20-year-old NEET aspirant allegedly committed suicide at her residence in Delhi. The incident occurred after the National Testing Agency cancelled the NEET exam held on May 3 due to paper leak allegations, scheduling a re-examination for June 21.
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan urged 22 lakh students appearing for the NEET re-exam to do so "fearlessly and free of anxiety," while the National Testing Agency (NTA) reminded candidates to download fresh admit cards and adhere to entry guidelines.
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Thursday rejected allegations of paper leak in medical entrance exam National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test-Undergraduate (NEET-UG), saying there is no evidence of it.
The Delhi High Court has asked the Centre to respond to Telegram's petition challenging a temporary government order that restricts access to its platform and disables message-editing features in India, citing concerns over potential cheating during the NEET-UG 2026 re-examination.
The cancellation of the NEET-UG medical entrance examination has left aspirants emotionally drained, struggling with disrupted routines, loss of confidence, and a growing distrust in the examination system, forcing them back into an intense preparation cycle.
The counselling session was likely to begin in the first week of July. However, the counselling authorities had not notified any date or schedule.
After reviewing the preparations at the headquarters of the National Testing Agency (NTA), Pradhan said meetings have been held under the Cabinet secretary, and all the states have been asked to cooperate.
The National Testing Agency (NTA) is sending reminders for the NEET-UG 2026 re-examination admit cards while cautioning candidates against fraudulent messages and fake communications, urging them to use only official channels for information.
The NEET-UG re-exam was held at centres across the country and overseas on Sunday amid tight security arrangements for the smooth conduct of the examination.
The Bihar Police's Economic Offences Unit, which is probing the alleged National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (Undergraduate) (NEET-UG) paper leak case, on Saturday claimed to have obtained reference question papers of the test conducted by National Testing Agency (NTA) and planned to compare these with documents recovered from a flat in Patna during a search operation last month.
The Delhi High Court has upheld the Indian government's decision to temporarily restrict access to Telegram, citing the messaging app's capacity for 'automated dissemination' of large content, which could facilitate misinformation during the crucial NEET-UG retest.
A 20-year-old NEET aspirant allegedly died by suicide at her home in Delhi after the NEET exam was cancelled. Family members suspect the cancellation of the national entrance test led to her taking this extreme step.
Here are all the details you need to know about the NEET-UG re-exam.
Gandhi said Modi's top priority now is to get his Speaker in Parliament and is not bothered about NEET .
Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended birthday wishes to Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, commending his significant contributions to the implementation of the National Education Policy. This praise follows the successful re-examination of NEET-UG, despite earlier controversies surrounding paper leaks.
The Delhi High Court has questioned the Centre's decision to temporarily restrict access to Telegram ahead of the NEET-UG 2026 re-examination, asking how the rights of 150 million users can be curtailed due to concerns over a few miscreants. The court reserved its verdict after hearing arguments from both sides.
'Unfortunately, today most ministers are busy with either election duty or praising duty. They are not interested in serving duty.' 'Ministers have become relaxed like retired people still holding onto jobs.' 'Look at how the NEET paper leaked. But there is no accountability.' 'After 12 years, they have become saturated. They are short of ideas.'
The agency is under criticism amid allegations of irregularities and inflation of marks in the crucial medical entrance exam.
The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), led by Abhijit Dipke, is staging a protest at Jantar Mantar, demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged examination irregularities and repeated paper leaks. Dipke has stated he will not leave until their demands are met and has requested Delhi Police to extend permission for the ongoing demonstration.
Rather than thinking it as an unfortunate event, experts urge students to see it as 'another opportunity to improve your score. Focus on improving in your weak chapters/units.'
Rather than thinking it as an unfortunate event, experts urge students to see it as 'another opportunity to improve your score. Focus on improving in your weak chapters/units.'
'For every 10,000 applicants, even an additional Rs 300 to Rs 700 per candidate for testing, assessment administration and re-screening can mean Rs 30 lakh to Rs 70 lakh extra at the hiring-stage cost before training begins.'
Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke has alleged that "some people from RSS" were behind an attack on him in Jaipur, claiming it was an attempt to divert attention from the NEET (UG) paper leak issue. Dipke, who is leading a protest in Nagpur demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, vowed to continue his peaceful agitation despite such incidents.
The NEET-UG re-exam was generally tougher than the previous one, with Physics identified as the most challenging and time-consuming section by both students and experts. While Biology was considered easier, Chemistry was moderate. Experts noted conceptual and lengthy questions in Physics and Chemistry, potentially leading to a lower cut-off.
Telegram CEO Pavel Durov has accused Reliance Group, which has a partial Meta stake, of lobbying for a ban on Telegram in India and sabotaging its access for users outside India through BGP hijacking. A senior telecom industry source dismissed these claims as 'fake news,' stating Durov confused Reliance Communications with Reliance Industries Ltd. The allegations come as the Indian government has ordered Google and Apple to delist Telegram temporarily and disable its message-editing feature in India due to concerns over paper leaks in the NEET-UG examination.
'22 students are fighting over 35,000 seats. In that situation, when someone tells a desperate parent there is a shortcut, and the shortcut costs Rs 3 to Rs 5 lakh versus Rs 1.5 crore -- the maths is seductive.'
