The bill suggests stricter punishment for exam fraud. Anyone who is found guilty of leaking exam papers could get up to 10 years in jail and a fine of, up to ₹50 lakh. Groups that are involved in leaking exam papers could be fined up to ₹10 crore as the government wants to stop exam scams and make sure that public examinations are fair and trustworthy.

The Bill was approved, amid loud session when Opposition members walked out of the House. Why Was the New Bill Introduced? The amendment will change the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024 which was introduced to introduce transparency and fairness in the recruitment of government candidates and to take entrance exams. The government opted to bolster the law in the aftermath of a NEET-UG paper leak controversy, which sparked protests nationwide and prompted worries about some public exams being unsafe. What Are the New Rules? The new amendment contains several teeth to address paper leaks and cheating:

An investigation into the paper leak cases must be finished no later than 2 months. The maximum jail term goes up from 5 years to 10 years. Anyone convicted can be fined ₹50 lakh. Organised exam fraud gangs may be fined up to ₹10 crore. It will hear exam fraud cases in fast-track courts to allow trials to complete within 3 months. These changes are intended to guarantee rapid prosecution of exam scam victims. Government's Stand. The new law will protect honest students and will strengthen the security of public examinations, the government said. The Centre points out that tighter enforcement will discourage organised cheating networks and paper leak scammers from attacking recruitment and entrance exams.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said earlier that the government would beef up the legal system so that deserving students don’t endure the consequences of exam fraud. What Happens Next? The modified law is slated to enhance investigative agencies’ legal powers to take swift action against criminals of paper leak and organised cheating in the scandal. It hopes that with speedier prosecutions, harsh penalties and specialized courts, trust will be restored to the public examinations and equality before the law will be restored to everyone who is believed to want a better deal than as of now. Conclusion. One of the major steps to combat examination fraud in India is the Anti-Paper Leak Amendment Bill, 2026. Fines for organised gangs up to ₹10 crore, ten years of imprisonment and fast-track courts, the government is ready and ready to make the recruitment process transparently, safe-and fairly accessible for millions of young people.

Nadda, Jitendra Singh Help Break Fast

In hospital visuals, Jitendra Singh could be seen propping up Wangchuk while Nadda offered the first sip from a glass in an effort to break his fast. Wangchuk's wife Gitanjali Angmo was present and appeared to have a conversation with the two ministers.

Sources confirmed that Nadda and Singh had met Wangchuk after negotiations had taken place between the former and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Wangchuk officially announced the breaking of his fast after the meeting. He soon after issued a tweet confirming the move where he said that he had broken his fast after protracted negotiations, due to the worry that the protests might turn violent. 

"Just now in the presence of Union Ministers JP Nadda & Dr Jitendra Singh and the senior leaders of Apex Body of Leh Ladakh I finally broke my fast after 26 days. Earlier 65 Members of Parliament from different political parties had visited or signed letters urging me to break the fast. This was done after a long negotiation on various conditions and in view of possible violence in the country. Meanwhile I urge you all to stay very vigilant about not allowing violence of any kind anywhere," Wangchuk said.

PM Modi Wishes Wangchuk Quick Recovery

Prime Minister Narendra Modi wished him a speedy recovery. 

"I urge Sonam ji to follow his routine as per the doctors' advice and regain his old weight as soon as possible. I pray to the Lord that Sonam ji remains healthy," Modi said in a post on social media platform X.

Dipke Vows Protest Until Pradhan Resigns

The founder of the CJP, Abhijeet Dipke, expressed satisfaction with Wangchuk's decision but claimed that the agitation would continue.

"We are relieved and grateful that Sonam sir has ended his hunger strike after 26 days. Thank you, sir, for your extraordinary courage and sacrifice. By putting your own life on the line, you awakened the conscience of an entire nation. Your life is far too precious to this country. The Cockroach Janta Party’s peaceful protest at Jantar Mantar will continue until Dharmendra Pradhan resigns," he said.

Government Readies Anti-Paper Leak Bill

Wangchuk's announcement came shortly after the government had introduced several provisions to address the students' concerns with regard to the NEET paper leak. On Thursday evening, PM Narendra Modi had stated that a draft bill would be presented in the Union cabinet with provisions for establishing fast track courts, and for implementing stringent punishment for those involved in paper leaks. 

He said that students had not even lost out on an academic year by re-examining and declaring the results of the exam. However, the Prime Minister was still not satisfied with just these measures. He stated that stringent punishments and speedy trials were aspects that were included in the drafted bill, which is to be finalized once approval from the cabinet is attained, following which it will be introduced in the Parliament during the ongoing monsoon session.

As per the Delhi DCP's office, Mr. Wangchuk was moved to the hospital for ‘essential medical care’ upon instructions from the Delhi High Court and based on the medical advice of expert doctors as his condition has deteriorated.

CJP Leader Announces Indefinite Hunger Strike

Abhijeet Dipke, founder of Cockroach Janata Party, alleged that Mr. Wangchuk was forcibly dragged away whereas, party spokesperson Saurav Das said activists were detained and students were lathicharged. Police dismissed allegations by saying that there was some commotion only and police personnel acted with restraints in this regard.

Shortly after beginning his hunger strike, a viral video clip had appeared on social media where a person was seen throwing blue ink at him. Dipke posted the clip on X and casually remarked, “Blue is my colour… Jai Bhim!”

Doctors Keep Wangchuk Under Constant Observation

According to the latest medical updates received from the police, doctors, who examined activist Sonam Wangchuk, found him to be weak and to have symptoms of dehydration as a result of the extended fasting. He has been kept under observation.

"Sonam Wangchuk arrived at our hospital around 7:40 AM. He is somewhat weak due to prolonged fasting and is experiencing mild dehydration; otherwise, all his vital parameters are stable. He is being continuously examined and monitored, and his treatment is underway," Dr Charu Bamba said.

Further medical tests were under way, and his condition was being continuously monitored by expert medical personnel.

Wife Pledges Parliament March Despite Hospitalisation

As activist Sonam Wangchuk was taken to Safdarjung hospital on Saturday by Delhi police on health grounds, his wife Gitanjali J Angmo said he was still on hunger strike and declared she would march to Parliament on July 20 if he couldn't and the march would definitely be held.

She further stated that her husband was brought to the Safdarjung hospital from Jantar Mantar without any prior permission. She added that this incident doesn’t mean the march would not be carried out.

"Sonam Wangchuk was brought here from the Jantar Mantar site without informing him or without informing me. Just yesterday evening, doctors from Safdarjung Hospital had checked him, and all his vitals were normal. But now they're telling us his potassium has dropped and it's life-threatening," Angmo said.

"Even if Sonam can't join the march, I will represent him and lead that march, and it will happen on Monday as planned. It's not that just because they've forcibly brought Sonam here, they can stop it," she added.

"I am weak from the outside but very strong inside. I am sure all of you are strong from the inside, and outside too. We need this energy for July 20, when we will take out a peaceful march to Parliament. We will go together and present our plea in the temple of democracy," he said.

"I will stay alive till July 20 at any cost. If you don't come and July 20 is not successful, I will come back as a ghost," he added.

Leaders Raise Concern Over Wangchuk's Health

PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti likened the ruling Union government to British colonial rule, drawing parallels with activist Sonam Wangchuk’s hunger strike and the sacrifices of Indian freedom fighters against the British Raj. 

"The British may have left but the colonial mindset seems to endure. How else can one explain the indifference of a democratically elected government that remains so callous that it refuses to engage with the youth at Jantar Mantar the very generation that will shape India's future?" Mufti said.

Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Omar Abdullah said he was worried about Sonam Wangchuk’s health and that he demanded that the Centre persuade the activist to end the fast and enter into a dialogue with protesting youths. 

Demand for Education Minister's Resignation

Wangchuk is currently undertaking an indefinite fast demanding the resignation of the Union Education Minister, Dharmendra Pradhan, citing concerns over irregularities in the education system.

The CJP protest at Jantar Mantar is in its 28th day and on July 20, a “Sansad Chalo” or Parliament march is scheduled, which is expected to be a massive mobilisation.

Addressing people at Jantar Mantar, Wangchuk asked his supporters to dedicate their energy to make the march a huge success. Wangchuk has said that he believes it would send the wrong message if he were to stop fasting without any response from the Narendra Modi government. He has repeatedly stressed his desire to enter into a dialogue with the government, even as he maintains his demand for Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation.

Doctors Warn of Critical Health Risks

Doctors monitoring Wangchuk expressed that the activist’s health has reached a critical stage and continuing his fast could lead to severe health complications, including the risk of organ failure.

However, Wangchuk remains resolute and refuses to end the hunger strike without any official response from the government, stating that it would set the wrong precedent and emphasizing the need for efforts to make the upcoming July 20th march to Parliament a success. In addition, the Delhi High Court has intervened in the matter, directing authorities to monitor Wangchuk’s health on a daily basis and to provide necessary medical assistance if his condition deteriorates. 

The Court also said the state should not resist the Centre's policy simply because it is a Central policy and added that discussions with regard to JNVs in Tamil Nadu continue.

Justice Nagarathna Flags Board Exam Stress

Justice Nagarathna questioned as to why only from class 9, a new language should be introduced and asked Tamil Nadu why it is resisting the three language policy under JNVs. The judge also added that it is “very bad” to introduce a new language in class 9 of those students who will be appearing for Class 10 board examinations. 

Justice Nagarathna said, "No that is very bad. 9th standard is stressful. Why do you introduce a new language in 9th? You introduce it in 6th. When we were there in our school we had both ICSE and SSLC. We were taught both syllabus. Only at the end of 9th standard we had to select.”

"Union of India please don't have 3rd language in 9th standard. CBSE ICSE State board 10th standard is a board exam. From the end of 8th standard onwards, the pressure starts. The chapter on Light which was in SSLC 10th standard was taught to us in 8th standard ICSE. Preparing for us for 10th," Justice Nagarathna added.

SC Adjourns Case Till August 11

The observation came during the hearing of the plea of the Tamil Nadu government challenging the order of the Madras High Court, which had asked the state to enable setting up of Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas in all districts.

The Court finally agreed to grant adjournment in the case after a plea by the state government. The matter has been adjourned for hearing on August 11.

"Let them get instructions. Different government is there now (TVK). We don’t know what their policy is. You may have your education system etc but don’t prevent central government schools in Tamil Nadu," Justice Nagarathna said.

Tamil Nadu Opposes Three-Language Formula

The State government during the previous Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) rule had said the schools, proposed to be set up under the Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya Scheme, were fundamentally incompatible with the two-language policy of Tamil Nadu. 

The State had in the earlier hearing claimed that the Navodaya scheme that works on three-language formula deviates from the State Tamil Learning Act, 2006. The State had further said that three language formula - where Hindi, English and the mother tongue/regional language must be compulsorily taught – was considered as a basic and integral element of the administration of the Navodaya schools, and its enforcement was a backdoor method of imposing Hindi on the state’s children.

Court Says Every Life Is Precious

A Division Bench of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia made the order while hearing a PIL seeking immediate medical help for Wangchuk.

In view of the submission of the Center that Wangchuk’s health was already being looked after by doctors of the government and by other specialists, the court ordered that he be medically attended to on a day to day basis and to treat him according to requirement.

"We would like this person to be regularly medically checked by government doctors and, depending on the report of the doctors, if any medication is required, please intervene. Every life is precious," the Court observed.

Centre Assures Continuous Health Supervision

Appearing for the Center, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta assured that Wangchuk's health was being examined on a day to day basis by doctors of the government and that all the necessary medical treatment will be provided by doctors depending upon their advice.

“We appreciate the stand taken by the learned Solicitor General and direct that Wangchuk's medical condition be clinically monitored on a daily basis and whatever medical intervention is required shall be taken,” the Court said.

PIL Seeks Urgent Medical Intervention

A PIL was moved before the court by advocate Rakesh Kumar Saini seeking to the directions of the Centre and the Delhi government so as to protect the life and health of climate activist Wangchuk and also asking them to provide necessary medical treatment, including, moving him to a hospital, to provide force-feeding as the circumstances demand.

The plea also asked them to fulfill the requirements by providing nutrients, vitamins, and minerals in the form of a liquid diet. Wangchuk is on indefinite fast at Jantar Mantar since June 28 demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the NEET row.

Wangchuk Refuses To End Hunger Strike

Meanwhile, pushing back on appeals to end his fast, Wangchuk shared a video message on X asserting that this was not the time to break the protest, otherwise it will only send out the message to the government that there are no real consequences to the public's dissent.

He reassured the public that test reports including same-day ECG report showed largely normal, though with loss of muscle mass, and assured he could continue for some days. He also requested the public to turn up in large numbers for the July 20 march to parliament.

“It is not bad. So that is why I can walk for many days now. Yes, there is weakness. My muscles are getting tired. but my heart and core are still fine. So instead of just saying 'break the fast', I would request you take a small step. Come in large numbers on July 20 (the day of the CJP protest at Delhi's Jantar Mantar) so a message goes to the government. All of us together will hand over this issue to the MPs. I will then believe the matter has gone into the right hands," Wangchuk said.

Wangchuk shared a video from the protest site on his social media and wrote, “I’m Not in good shape but not so bad either. Rather than asking me to break my fast please join me on 20th July. Peaceful March to the Parliament.”

Wangchuk Remains Weak, Under Constant Monitoring

A medical bulletin issued by the CJP stated that Wangchuk continues to be “very weak” and is on 24-hour medical surveillance, although doctors said he is conscious and mentally alert. He needed monitoring. 

CJP Founder Abhijit Dipke said, "Day 18 of Sonam Wangchuk's hunger strike. The man who chose to put his own life on the line to seek justice for students who died by suicide has received nothing but silence from the government. The government is not just unaccountable; it is also cruel."

"Instead of asking why opposition leaders haven't supported CJP, or why every CJP team member isn't on a hunger strike alongside Sonam sir, ask the questions that actually matter. Why is the Prime Minister refusing to engage in a dialogue? Why is the Education Minister still not being held accountable?" he added.

Atul Kulkarni Observes Fast in Solidarity

Actor Atul Kulkarni is also observing one day fast to support climate activist Sonam Wangchuk. The actor has joined Wangchuk, whose health is a major cause for concern. Kulkarni became the latest Bollywood personality to endorse Wangchuk and his activism.

Kulkarni said he will observe one day fast at his home on Thursday as a tribute to the veteran climate activist. Kulkarni urged the public to also participate and support the message of the Wangchuk.

Atul Kulkarni said, “Tomorrow, on July 16, I will be observing a one-day hunger strike from my own home. There are two reasons behind this fast. Firstly, I want to connect with the pain that Sonam ji and his associates are going through. Secondly, I want to request our government to show its sensitivity towards the matter.”

“I am not ready to believe that our government is insensitive, because many times we have seen our government express emotions and connect with the pain of the people. Perhaps, in this case, there are some misunderstandings due to which this sensitivity is not being expressed and a dialogue is not taking place," he added.

Plea in Delhi HC Seeks Medical Intervention

A petition has been filed in the Delhi High Court urging the authorities to force-feed the activist Sonam Wangchuk and shift him to the government hospital in view of his deteriorated health. In the petition, it is said that the activist's health condition is quite serious and that he can succumb within two days of hunger strike if continued. The petition asked the court to immediately take notice, as it is of great importance that Wangchuk's life is saved.

The plea requested the court to ask government authorities to get Wangchuk transferred to a government hospital and also administered a medically monitored liquid diet if necessary, which is to be composed of adequate nutrients, vitamins and minerals so that the activist's health condition could be preserved and his life could be saved. 

The plea further states that the state is least concerned and insensitive to the activist's condition and demanded immediate steps to force-feed the protestor who is seeking the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

Delhi HC Takes Up Urgent Plea

The Bench of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia asked the Centre and the Delhi government to file a reply by tomorrow on the plea due to the urgent nature of the subject.

"Nobody is present on behalf of the Union of India. We are entertaining the petition. We will post the matter tomorrow itself and require them to seek instructions. We will ask the registry to file the order to the authorities today itself," the Delhi High Court said.

Plea Seeks Force-Feeding

The advocate, Rakesh Kumar Saini filed a plea alleging that Mr. Wangchuk's health has significantly deteriorated after several days of fasting, requesting authorities to take immediate steps to save his life. Saini wants to direct the Central and Delhi government to provide immediate medical care, including food, to the climate activist and to take Wangchuk to hospital for a check-up. 

"The simple thing to be done is to take him to a government hospital and force feed him the necessary nutrients, vitamins and minerals by way of a liquid diet which are necessary for the human body to survive," the plea said.

“That it is highly shocking and condemnable that the Government of India and Government of NCT Delhi do not seem to be concerned at all with this alarming and most unfortunate situation, wherein due to highlighting an important public cause and great concern regarding education and of great concern to the student community in crores," it added.

Wangchuk's Protest Over NEET Row

Wangchuk is staging an indefinite hunger strike at Jantar Mantar and is demanding resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, due to alleged irregularities in examination and the NEET paper leak.

His protest is supported by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), a political outfit backed by youths. Wangchuk started his protest in the form of a hunger strike on June 28 and the 18th day of his protest has been today where he has lost over 8 kilograms and experienced a dip in his blood sugar.

This change is present in chapter six of the recently published Social Science textbook of NCERT – Understanding Society: India and Beyond (Grade 9, Part 1). This is a very significant development for secondary-level instruction on modern Indian political history.

Pradhan Backs Textbook Revision Move

The Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan applauded NCERT’s decision on Thursday to add an Emergency-specific part in the Class IX textbook of the council. 

The Union Minister said it was important that the future generation learns the “dark chapter of that period” in history so that such incidents may never be repeated in the future, the news agency ANI reported. 

Pradhan said, “This is correct. NCERT has done the right thing. Future generations should know and understand the dark deeds of the Emergency so that such a situation does not arise again. That is why NCERT brought it to the forefront. NCERT did a good job.”

Textbook Details Democratic Challenges Faced

By incorporating the Emergency lesson at the Class 9 level, NCERT will be equipping students to acquire the basic tenets of India’s democratic history at a younger age in their studies. 

"One of the major challenges to democracy in India was recorded when an Emergency was imposed in 1975-77. In the early 1970s, public dissatisfaction with the government led by Indira Gandhi was growing. Rising unemployment, inflation, and allegations of misgovernance led to widespread protests," the section states.

"In June 1975, a National Emergency was imposed by the government on the grounds of internal disturbance. During this period, a majority of Fundamental Rights were suspended, the press was censored, and numerous political leaders and activists were arrested. Democratic institutions came under severe strain, and citizens' freedom was restricted," it added.

NCERT Change Aligns with NEP 2020 Goals

This inclusion has come amid NCERT’s broader exercise of curriculum revision in the aftermath of the National Education Policy 2020 and will provide students with access to more information related to India's democratic history.

Under the revision of textbooks based on the NEP 2020 framework, NCERT has been incorporating multidisciplinary approaches and a civic orientation with students getting an education in their country’s past, political systems, and constitution.

Dipke also requested the Delhi Police to extend the permission for the ongoing protest, which the latter refused, stating that the demonstration was permitted only till 5 PM. 

CJP Demands Dharmendra Pradhan's Resignation

Addressing the crowd of thousands of students and supporters during CJP’s second protest organised over paper leaks and examination irregularities, Dipke asserted that although they would participate in dialogue, the condition for this is the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

“I request the authorities, since youth from across the country are here and want to continue sitting until we get justice. I urge Delhi Police to extend our permission. The protest has been peaceful; we are just innocent students seeking justice," Dipke said.

Delhi Police Denies Extension for Demonstration

Following the announcement by Dipke, Delhi Police emphasized that the permit was until 5 pm and requested the participants to leave the site, cancelling their extension application. However, CJP leaders said they will not move from the protest site. 

Afterwards, police began a peaceful evacuation by entering the protest grounds and asking the protesters to leave. 

Students Raise Slogans Against Paper Leaks

Earlier, amid high police presence, students had gathered at the venue raising slogans and holding placards to seek answers from the government over various examination-related issues. 

"Dharmendra Pradhan must resign" slogans filled the venue with protesters raising questions about the government's alleged lapses.

Open letter to PM Before Protest

Before Saturday's demonstration, Dipke had written an open letter to PM Narendra Modi demanding an explanation over the issues that had surfaced due to the examinations and have been raised by students.

The June 20 demonstration follows CJP's first protest at the Jantar Mantar, where the youth-centric organisation shed light on alleged paper leaks and irregular conduct of examinations. 

For the first time, the Indian Air Force has been employed for the task of transporting the question papers due to the enhanced security measures for the exam.

Pradhan Reviews NEET Re-Exam Preparations

Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan held a series of high-level meetings to monitor the preparations and ensure that the re-exam goes smoothly. The government temporarily banned the use of Telegram to curb rampant cheating networks, according to the NTA. 

This development comes as the re-examination of the medical entrance test is scheduled to be held on June 21, nearly seven weeks after it was cancelled in the wake of widespread protests, political criticism and court cases after allegations of a paper leak surfaced. The test will be held from 2 pm to 5:15 pm through the pen-and-paper mode.

Student Allotted Abu Dhabi Centre by Error

Amid stepped up preparations for the re-examination, a candidate from Nagpur was allegedly allotted an examination centre in Abu Dhabi owing to a "clerical mistake" by the NTA. The student, Abdullah Mohammad Talib, noticed the discrepancy after he downloaded the Re-Neet 2026 admit card from the official NTA website.

The document stated that his examination center would be in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, instead of in India. The alleged error was noticed and highlighted as a screenshot of the admit card went viral on social media sites.

GPS Tracking to Prevent Paper Leaks

Candidates have been asked by the NTA to report at their assigned centers between 11 am and 1:30 pm and entry at the gate will close sharp at 1:30 pm. NTA has ensured to set up an elaborate multi-layered security framework, comprising district administration and police authorities for secure transportation of confidential examination materials, said the agency

It also added that these confidential materials will be transported through sealed protocol procedures, utilizing GPS-enabled vehicles, CCTV surveillance with control room linkage and Aadhaar-enabled biometric authentication to curb malpractice. 

Special Facilities Arranged for Candidates

The NTA said that it has also made adequate arrangements for candidates like power backup, drinking water, sanitation facilities and medical assistance in their respective examination centres. 

The candidates will be allowed to carry transparent water bottles. Diabetic candidates will be permitted to carry prescription along with sugar tablets, fruits and transparent water bottles.

Concerns Raised Over Student Mental Health

In his letter to the Prime Minister, Mr Dipke voiced concern regarding what he described as an increasing mental health and education crisis among students due to the uncertainty surrounding the examinations. 

"I am writing to you today with a heavy heart, to bring your urgent attention to an escalating crisis that threatens the very future of our nation – the lives and mental well-being of our young students," Dipke said.

He added, “Over the recent weeks, we have tragically lost 11 young students to suicide. Most alarmingly, five of these heartbreaking losses occurred within the last 48 hours.”

Families Face Emotional Hardship

Dipke alleged the pressure due to scams has increased the emotional disturbance of parents as well, leading to cases like these which are becoming very frequent nowadays.

"Far from slowing down, this devastating trend is intensifying as the pressures of upcoming re-examinations loom over our youth. Over the past two months, I have personally met with several grief-stricken families of students who have tragically died by suicide. Beyond the unbearable emotional trauma of losing a child, these families are now facing severe, compounding financial ruin. In pursuit of a better future, many had taken out massive educational loans to support their children's dreams, that were cruelly shattered by systemic failures," he added.

Demand for ₹1 Crore Compensation

The CJP Chief asked for quick financial help to the bereaved families while also requesting for governmental intervention.

"Having lost the very children they poured their life savings into educating, these families have been left entirely destitute. The government must step in to provide immediate relief. We demand that your administration release a compensation amount of one crore rupees to all families who have suffered from a suicide due to the compounding crisis of paper leaks," Dipke said.

CJP Calls Resignation of Education Minister

He additionally repeated his party's calls for government accountability and the resignation of the Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. 

"The Cockroach Janta Party has been demanding the resignation of the Education Minister for the past month and has been protesting across the country for our demands. All that we students want is to see some accountability for the loss of lives," he added.

The open letter was published as reports of student suicides were making headlines from across the nation. The NEET examination, held on May 3rd, was canceled amid serious allegations of a paper leak and has been rescheduled to be re-held on June 21st which is putting a strain on students who had already undergone this extremely competitive test. 

Court Holds Centre's Emergency Order

Justice Tejas Karia dismissed the plea, holding that the Centre successfully made a case for exercising its emergency powers under the Information Technology Act. 

"R1 (Government) was empowered under Section 69A to direct blocking of access to Telegram. Test of proportionality is satisfied.The government's measures are least restrictive. It cannot be held that the order is disproportionate," the Delhi High Court said.

Centre Defends Action Under IT Act

The Centre taking a strong stand against organised cheating rings which allegedly were used in connection with the NEET-UG examination scam, sought to temporarily ban Telegram for its usage in the unfair practices.

It had also asked all service providers to temporarily suspend and block Telegram in the country, via an order of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) under Section 69A of the IT Act, from Friday till June 22.

The NEET examination, conducted in May has been cancelled by the Centre in wake of alleged paper leaks and other irregularities. NEET (UG) 2026 re-examination would be conducted on June 21. 

Message Edit Feature Under Scrutiny

The government through its attorney general, R Venkatramani had earlier justified the blanket ban on Telegram for the purpose of preventing unfair means.

Centre had submitted before the Court that the message-editing function on Telegram in the country will remain disabled until June 30. This, the Centre claimed, was to stop scammers who had used this functionality to dupe gullible candidates by faking paper leak claims by modifying older messages or tampering with attachments, without changing the timestamp. 

Telegram Challenges Centre's Emergency Action

The government attorney had, however, not presented enough material to justify why an emergency order for banning the platform and not specific objectionable content was warranted, argument Senior advocate Dhruv Mehta for Telegram had presented to the court.

“The order says it is in the interest of sovereignty and integrity of India. An examination like NEET will affect the sovereignty and integrity of India? What is the application of mind?” he said.

High-ranking officials from the Ministry of Education, state government officials, representatives of the National Testing Agency (NTA), higher education institutions and other stakeholders participated in the meeting to review the examinations’ readiness for the re-test.

Pradhan Focuses on Transparency and Security

Pradhan stressed the need for transparency, integrity and efficiency during the examination process. He directed all concerned to work closely and ensure that arrangements were in place for the conduct of the examination.

Among other topics, officials discussed preparation and security measures that were put in place at exam centres in various parts of the country. They also reviewed logistical measures, coordination and preparations for the exam.

Officers To Coordinate With State Authorities

The Minister stressed the need for coordination at all levels and informed that officers of the Ministry would visit all the States to coordinate the activities relating to the re-examination and they would report to the Command Centre headed by the NTA.

He urged the nodal officers of the State governments to ensure that students are provided with the mandatory facilities and services to make them appear for the re-examination in a stress free environment.

Students Assured Fair Exam Process

The event had a hybrid mode, with 222 participants participating. Senior officials from different states, nodal officers of centrally funded institutions, vice-chancellors of higher education institutions across the country reassured the candidates that they would cooperate fully with them in all respects to make the exam a successful one for them and for the candidates.

NEET UG Re-Exam Scheduled For June 21

The review comes just a few days before the re-examination of NEET UG to be held on June 21. Government officials have been working to improve the examination process and ensure that the exam is completed in a fair and stress free manner.

NEET UG exam is the entrance exam to bachelor medical programs in every state in India and lakhs of aspirants take the exam every year.

During the course of the hearing, the government had justified its decision to ban the app, citing the existence of an 18,000-member Telegram channel and concerns about features like the backdate edit functionality.

Government Cites Exam Malpractice Concerns

On behalf of the Union Government, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta and Attorney General R Venkataramani told the Court that Telegram’s plea against the temporary ban was misdirected. They stated that blocking the platform was crucial to uphold the credibility of a nation-level examination.

SG Tushar Mehta said that the order to block Telegram was passed as per due procedure and reviewed by a committee headed by the Cabinet Secretary. It has come to our notice that Telegram is used for a lot of malpractice related to examinations. We have substantial material to show the misuse of the platform, he stated. He added that the court should not ignore the larger public interest.

Government Highlights Lack of Filtering Methods

Replying to Telegram's assertion that other similar apps haven't been restricted, AG R Venkataramani pointed out that Telegram's issue was separate as the other intermediaries have their own filtering and moderating mechanisms. This platform doesn’t, he clarified.

“We have not touched any other intermediary. They are more powerful, but we have not acted against them because they have their own filtration method,” SG Tushar Mehta said.

Telegram Opposes Suspension Order

Defending the messaging service, Senior Advocate Dhruv Mehta argued that the ban was disproportionate. He stated that ‘a section of the user base’ allegedly using the service for such nefarious purposes shouldn't affect the entire service used by others in the country. He further informed the court that Telegram has always been ‘cooperative and responsive’. The authorities have not even demonstrated how a blanket suspension of the platform was required, he said.

After a lengthy hearing which featured arguments from Telegram as well as the Centre, Justice Tejas Karia reserved his judgment in the matter pertaining to Telegram’s challenge to the blocking order under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act.

Telegram cites removal of NEET-related links

The plea states that Telegram has taken preventive steps such as taking down more than 900 links that contained unlawful material related to NEET with the deployment of AI tools.

“The Impugned Order does not justify why less restrictive alternatives, such as targeted takedowns of unlawful content were inadequate, or why the entirety of the Telegram application had to be blocked from public access,” the plea said.

Pavel Durov Calls Suspension a Mistake

In response to the centre's decision, Telegram CEO Pavel Durov called the temporary ban an error by the Indian government. Durov wrote that such banning was a disservice to regular Indian users who are the victims, not the culprits of exam material leaks and circulation and added that Telegram had removed hundreds of channels distributing leaked exam material and related scams in the past few weeks.

He said, "India banned Telegram for one week because some users shared leaked exam questions. This punishes 150M+ ordinary Telegram users - not insiders who leaked exam materials. Ban hasn't stopped anything. Leaks will move to other apps.”

"Over the past few weeks, we removed hundreds of channels sharing leaked exam materials and related scams in India. We're also making the “edited” label more visible to prevent backdating scams. Telegram is a force for good. Banning it — even temporarily — is a mistake,” he added.

Centre Backs Ban to Curb Cheating

The Centre, on Tuesday, had recommended a ban on the app as suggested by the NTA (National Testing Agency). The Centre said the temporary ban was intended to contain leak and spread of misinformation and block organised cheating network and was asked by the NTA to disable the app’s edit message functionality since it has been abused by those involved to frame evidence of 'paper leak' by editing the message and question asked after exam.

The restriction imposed on the messaging app came weeks after allegations and misinformation over leak of the NEET UG question paper, which is one of India’s biggest entrance exams. The government officials stated that the move was to protect the examination process and the students from the circulated false material.

Government Cites IT Act for Telegram Ban

According to official sources, the ban was implemented using Section 69A of the IT Act that grants the government authority to block public access of content in India in the interest of the security and public order. This ban will only be temporary, it will be in effect until June 22.

The decision was implemented after Telegram channels became instrumental in spreading false information and demanded money for leak of question papers among the NEET candidates.

Officials Seek Freeze on Message Editing

Apart from imposing restrictions on the use of Telegram in India, government officials have requested Telegram to restrict the editing option within India till the NEET examination gets over. Officials stated that in past such cases, Telegram channels were seen to alter their posts by changing the dates to manipulate it and claim leak of examination papers.

It stated that in certain instances such manipulated question papers and other content related to it was shared and claims of paper leak were made to gain illegal monetary benefits.

NTA Assures Secure and Fair Re-Examination

NTA also said that NEET (UG) 2026 re-examination will be conducted in a transparent and secure manner, and the imposed restrictions were just to prevent candidates from falling victim to fraudsters online and avoid misleading the students. The aspirants were also asked to be cautious and verify information from official sources.

His request for anticipatory bail was heard in the court of the District Judge. The court said while the investigation team can interrogate Khan over the case, they cannot use any coercive or punitive action against him as long as the interim protection stays.

Anticipatory Bail Plea Filed by Khan Sir

Khan Sir’s counsel, Arvind Kumar Mahuar, approached the court with an anticipatory bail application a day after police named him in an FIR lodged regarding the alleged firing outside his coaching centre Khan Global Studies on the intervening night of June 2. Khan is likely to approach the Patna High Court soon to file a petition for quashing the FIR against him. 

“The court has stayed his (Mr. Khan’s) arrest till further orders, and ordered for presenting the case diary and other antecedents of the guards who were earlier arrested by the Patna police and their weapons that were seized for forensic test on the next hearing date,” said Khan’s lawyer.

Rival Coaching Director Awaits Relief

The Patna court had earlier deferred its decision on the anticipatory bail petition of Raushan Anand, the director of Gyan Bindu Coaching Institute.

However, members of Gyan Bindu Coaching Centre have accused Khan of orchestrating the attack on his centre. Students supporting Raushan had organized a protest in the state capital demanding his release and seeking action against Khan.

Coaching Centre Clash Leads to Violence

The incident occurred following clashes between rival coaching centers-Khan Global Studies and another- with a group allegedly barging into the premises of Khan's coaching centre. The attackers vandalised the coaching institute and tore down banners and posters put up on the institute's premises. The group is also alleged to have assaulted guards and created chaos by allegedly firing shots.

A complaint was filed by Khan Global Studies after which police had arrested the director of the rival coaching centre and few others.

The police investigation took a dramatic turn after the emergence of a video in which two security guards were seen firing into the air. They were subsequently arrested and during police questioning, reportedly confessed to having acted on the orders of Khan Sir. The police have now registered an FIR against him and two others in this connection.

CJP Gives Government Seven-Day Deadline

The CJP has called for government action against recent exam failures within seven days. If no such action is initiated, the youth-led party has threatened a countrywide agitation.

“This is the beginning of a movement. If no action is taken within seven days, this movement will spread across the country. We remain committed to a peaceful, democratic struggle and to building a pro-youth, pro-education, pro-Constitution, and pro-India movement that raises the voices of students and young people across the nation,” the CJP said

Abhijeet Dipke Criticises Centre's Response

Abhijeet Dipke, the founder of Cockroach Janata Party, accused the Centre of focusing on social media activities of the party instead of addressing their demands which included resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan in view of the recent controversies over examinations.

"My friends, this is a long struggle. It has been a month since we started demanding Pradhan's resignation on social media, but these individuals are so shameless that instead of taking action, they have been focused on other distractions, like hacking our accounts and getting our posts deleted. You may be able to delete our posts, but you cannot erase us from this space," he said

Delhi Police Detain Six to Prevent Clash

Delhi police detained six people to avoid potential clash between two groups at the demonstration organised by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), authorities said. The students were detained in a bid to avoid possible confrontation between supporters and opposers of the online protest. They have made preventive detentions to maintain law and order in view of a possibility of conflict.

Arvind Kejriwal Backs CJP Demonstration

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Chief Arvind Kejriwal came out in support of the protest and said the demonstrations by the Cockroach Janta Party show the rage and anger of the youth of the country. 

In a post on X, he said to the Modi government to listen to the issues of the protesters rather than call them anti-national. He should remove Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan from the cabinet immediately.

CJP has positioned its movement as one for youth holding leaders accountable to India's education system claiming that issues relating to exam scams affected millions of young students nationwide. This particular protest at the Jantar Mantar, which began as a meme on the internet with the political group claiming millions of supporters with Gen Z following.

CJP has positioned its movement as a "political youth movement" attempting to shift the narrative and political dialogue in India. The movements have a larger reflection of general frustration towards the system among youth, driven by the rising inflation and unemployment, also by perceived shortcomings in the education system. Along with CJP, Ladakh based activist Sonam Wangchuk also joined them for the movement.

CJP's manifesto calls for the banning of post-retirement positions at Rajya Sabha for chief justices, the appointment of a 50% women representation at Lok Sabha without changing its total seats and the 20 year political bar for MLAs and MPs who cross vote.

Speaking to supporters at Jantar Mantar, the Cockroach Janata Party founder Abhijeet Dipke stated why it was important to organize rallies, as protests are necessary, they are a reminder that youth will not stay quiet.

Dipke also informed that the protests were to show and assert their rights and concerns as students and youth.

"People say, what does it achieve by holding movements, sit-ins, demonstrations, and taking out processions? It proves that we are alive! For the government, we may be mere insects, but we are alive and capable of fighting for our rights," he said.

Accusing the government of not responding to its demands which included the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, he called the government's response as only targeting the group's online influence.

Further in his speech, the CJP founder informed that measures were taken to hinder their social media presence.

"It has been a month since we started demanding Pradhan's resignation on social media, but instead of taking action, they have been focused on other distractions, like hacking our accounts and getting our posts deleted. You may be able to delete our posts, but you cannot erase us from this space," he said.

Students, young professionals and many parents reached the place as students wearing cockroach masks wore their demands written on their faces and carried flowers, demonstrating over alleged exam and recruitment irregularities.

Participants were raising slogans, "Dharmendra Pradhan resign" over alleged mistakes at the examinations like NEET, CUET, CBSE and SSC.

The issue was listed before a bench of Justice Saurabh Banerjee and Justice Amit Sharma by the counsel for Save India Foundation.

CJP, Police Clash Over Permission

The Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) and Delhi Police seemed to be heading for a confrontation, as the police said that they had not received any request from the CJP seeking permission for the protest, even though party leaders said that it would be held regardless of whether a permission was given or not.

Security arrangements and preventive measures will depend on the developments on the ground and intelligence inputs, but for now, as of now 1,000 personnel have been deployed. The role of any political parties backing it are also being looked into.

Online Campaign Draws Young Supporters

The plea states that the Cockroach Janata Party has been actively running an online campaign, and is calling for a massive mobilization to assemble at Jantar Manta in the national capital, specifically on June 6. It alleges that the campaign has rapidly gained traction on social media platforms and has successfully gathered large numbers of young individuals.

Plea Seeks Enhanced Security Measures

The plea says that a representation was made to the Police Commissioner on June 4, highlighting concerns about potential law and order issues and the petitioner organization urged for appropriate precautionary and crowd control measures to be instituted by Delhi police. Despite prompt notification, no substantial public reassurance or comprehensive preventive framework has been disseminated.

In addition to other requested reliefs, the plea also seeks directions to the Delhi police and all other relevant agencies to effectively control, restrict or relocate the proposed gathering, ensure sufficient resources are allocated for crowd management, and ensure security for vulnerable public infrastructure including IGI Airport and public transport systems.

CJP Born From CJI Remark

The CJP movement originated from an oral observation of the Chief Justice of India Surya Kant on May 15 during Supreme Court proceedings, where the latter was observed to be concerned about the unemployed youth moving towards social media and RTI activism. 

The CJI mentioned these youngsters to be "like cockroaches" and a parasite in the society. Later, CJI clarified his remark pertained to fake degree holders.

The Cockroach Janata Party was founded by a resident of Boston, Abhijeet Dipke. The CJP aims to express itself through satire to comment on issues that pertain to institutional accountability, unemployment, media freedom, etc.

"The portal, launched on 2nd June 2026 to facilitate services such as verification and re-evaluation of answer scripts for candidates who had appeared in the XII Board Examination, was subjected to repeated and coordinated cyber attacks over the past three days. The attacks involved large volumes of malicious traffic originating from multiple IP addresses within and outside the country," CBSE said.

 CBSE Approaches Delhi Police over Breach

According to a press release from the Board, a formal complaint was submitted to the Intelligence Fusion & Strategic Operations (IFSO) Unit of the Delhi Police. 

Delhi Police registered an FIR on Friday following the CBSE complaint and officials said that the FIR was registered under Section 66 read with Section 43 (f) of the IT Act and an investigation has been initiated to nab the culprits behind the attack. 

Agencies Help CBSE Block Cyber Threats

The portal which was launched on June 2 to verify results and also apply for verification of marks and re-evaluation is being used by several lakhs of students and faced repeated cyber attacks in the last three days from numerous Indian and overseas IPs. 

CBSE stated that its technical teams were on a round-the-clock surveillance and were taking preventive measures to ensure uninterrupted services. It said that with the support of cybersecurity teams of IIT Kanpur, IIT Madras, Digital India Corporation, Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), CERT-In and various Central Government agencies the attacks were thwarted and stopped. 

OSM System Faces Scrutiny Claims

CBSE has also come under criticism in recent days from many class 12 students who have alleged that their scanned copies uploaded by the board did not match their handwriting, which put the OSM system under question, and there may have been mismatches in the OSM system, on Tuesday Cabinet Secretariat approved the formation of a one-member committee to investigate the procurement of services for the OSM system by the CBSE. 

India operates over a thousand universities and more than 40,000 colleges - the largest higher education system in the world by institutional count. Every semester, these institutions move millions of students through examination cycles that are expensive to run, logistically complex to secure, and almost impossible to scale without proportionate increases in physical infrastructure, manpower, and cost.

That equation is changing. More than 60% of universities globally are now expanding their digital examination programmes, and over 55% of students actively prefer flexible online exam formats. In India, the transition is accelerating further - driven by policy mandates, infrastructure economics, and a generational shift in how institutions think about assessment credibility.

The Policy Catalyst

The National Education Policy 2020 was India's first comprehensive education reform in 34 years. Among its most consequential assessment-related provisions was the shift from high-stakes, single-point examinations toward continuous, competency-based evaluation - a mandate that is structurally incompatible with the physical examination hall model. As of 2025, 82% of Indian educational institutions have implemented hybrid learning models combining physical classrooms with digital platforms.

NEP 2020 also explicitly directed EdTech companies and assessment platforms to develop learning management systems, evaluation software, and online assessment infrastructure for universities - effectively signalling that the government-backed examination system was no longer the only credible delivery channel for institutional assessment.

The Cost Argument Is Already Won

The economics of physical examination infrastructure are not favourable. Running a mid-size university examination across multiple centres requires venue procurement, invigilation staffing, paper printing and distribution, secure transportation, answer sheet collection, manual evaluation, and result compilation - each step introducing cost, delay, and a new vector for error or malpractice.

The global online exam proctoring market was valued at USD 868.95 million in 2024 and is projected to reach USD 2.34 billion by 2031, growing at a CAGR of 15.5%. The Asia Pacific region, which includes India, is expected to grow at 18% CAGR through 2033 - among the fastest-growing markets globally for online assessment infrastructure. Institutions that have implemented advanced AI proctoring systems report up to 48% improvement in exam integrity metrics - not as a feature claim but as a measured operational outcome across thousands of examination sessions.

Where ExamOnline Sits in This Transition

Founded in Mumbai in April 2009, ExamOnline has been enabling universities, certification bodies, and institutions across 35+ countries to conduct AI-powered online assessments and remote proctored exams long before digital testing became mainstream in India. With millions of assessments delivered through its platform for 250-plus enterprise clients, the company has built the institutional delivery depth this transition demands.

What separates ExamOnline from generic online exam software is architecture built specifically for real-world conditions. It offers a platform which is entirely browser-based - no software installation required on the candidate's device, eliminating the single largest friction point in digital examination rollout for universities with heterogeneous student device environments. Its drop-proof session recovery architecture ensures that a student in a rural district with intermittent connectivity does not lose an examination sitting due to a network interruption. Its AI proctoring stack - real-time facial recognition, behavioural anomaly detection, object identification, and secure browser lockdown - runs on a fully in-house, proprietary engine with no white-labelled third-party components.

ExamOnline holds ISO 27001, ISO 9001, GDPR-compliant, and CERT-In certifications - the compliance framework that university regulators and accreditation bodies require. For university examinations specifically, it supports the complete assessment lifecycle: scheduling, slot booking, automated admit card generation, live AI-proctored delivery across concurrent sessions, instant result computation, and automated certificate issuance. The platform operates in seven languages, helping institutions support diverse student populations across global markets

Maneesh Singh, CEO of ExamOnline, frames the institutional shift plainly: “For decades, examination halls were the only practical way to conduct large-scale assessments securely. Today, digital infrastructure and AI-powered proctoring allow institutions to deliver the same integrity and scalability online, without being limited by physical infrastructure.”

The Transition Is Not Coming. It Is Here.

India's most progressive universities are not evaluating whether to move to digital assessment infrastructure - they are deciding which platform to trust with that transition. The criteria are no longer about features. They are about reliability under the pressure that a university final examination creates: thousands of concurrent candidates, zero tolerance for session failures, and complete audit-grade documentation of every assessment event.

ExamOnline has been meeting that standard since 2009. As India's universities finally catch up to what the platform was built for, the question is not whether the classroom-to-cloud transition will happen. It already has.

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Rival Coaching Centre Angle Under Scanner

The incident has reportedly been linked to a possible rivalry between two coaching institutes. Sources are of the view that the motive behind the firing might be competition to get dominance between Khan Sir's coaching center and the coaching institute of the rival. No person had any injuries. Only the security guard has been injured. 

Khan Sir Alleges Threats Over Low Coaching Fees

Khan sir said he did not have knowledge of what exactly happened in the incident as he only told whatever security guard told him about the whole incident. 

"There was so much chaos at that time that I could not understand. I said what the guard had told me," he said.

"The Bihar Police recruitment results had come out, thousands of students had qualified, and we were tired after all the work. Then some anti-social elements came and started threatening us. They assaulted our guards. It appears they are associated with coaching institutes and are troubled by our low fees," Khan Sir added.

Police Collect Evidence, Launch Investigation

On receiving information on firing Police forces reached the coaching center to investigate the incident. They examined the situation and also found some evidence and collected statements of the witnesses and residents to make sure of the sequence of the incident to trace criminals. 

“We received information around 10:10 p.m. on Tuesday about stone-pelting and damage to property at Khan Global Coaching Institute under the jurisdiction of Kadamkuan police station. A police team was immediately sent to the spot and an investigation was launched,” a statement from the City SP office said.

It has been reported by sources that there is a possible motive for this incident due to rivalry between coaching centers situated at that particular place.

CCTV Footage Shows Vandalism and Stone-Pelting

The vandalizing of CCTV and stone pelting on Khan Sir coaching center has also been shown through the CCTV image which reached this morning. The clip clearly showed stones being thrown and the flex banners of the institute being pulled down. Khan Sir has claimed that his office has also been vandalized by the criminals and has handed over the CCTV footage to the police to conduct further examination. 

Khan sir said, “The police investigation is going on. All the footage has been given. There are 20 CCTV cameras installed all over the place.”

Education Minister Calls for Strict Policies

Bihar education minister Mithilesh Tiwari said a policy would be drafted and approved by the government to maintain order in the coaching centers across state.

“The government will formulate a policy within the next three months, after consulting all stakeholders, to stop such incidents from occurring. If these coaching institutes behave like this over rivalry and disturb law and order, then a targeted policy is required for sure,” he said.

NTA Announces Retest for Affected Students

The agency issued an official statement admitting that the test was disrupted and candidates underwent stress due to it. Adding further, it said that candidates, who have had biometric registration, appeared at their exam centres, but weren't able to finish the test because of the glitch, will be given an opportunity for examination. A fresh schedule will be released soon on the NTA website.

“We know today's unfortunate technical disruption caused distress for some CUET (UG) 2026 candidates," NTA said.

TCS Asked to Submit Cause Report

Elaborating on the details, NTA clarified that technical issues started at some centres during Shift-1, which delayed the examination. It confirmed that the technical service provider Tata Consultancy Services (TCS iON) was asked to immediately provide a root cause analysis report and the report will be submitted by them forthwith.

"TCS has reported that a technical glitch at their end delayed the commencement of CUET UG 2026 at some centres on Saturday. The issue has since been resolved, and the exam is being conducted with full compensatory time so that no candidate is disadvantaged,” NTA added.

Most Candidates Completed CUET UG Exam

NTA assured that after the restoration of the technical glitch, more than 95 per cent students were able to write their exams in full. However, 3,765 candidates who attended their examination centers and completed biometrics, have chosen to leave before restart of exam. As a one-time measure, a fresh examination will be conducted for them.

Exam Timings Revised After Delay

Earlier in the day, NTA had confirmed that a technical error delayed the CUET UG 2026 in several exam centers. The issue was resolved and students were provided with compensatory time.

The timing of afternoon exams were also changed to 4:00 PM and reporting at 2:30 PM instead of 3:00 PM. For the morning shifts, students were given the complete time of the paper and not allowed to leave until its completion.

NEET Row Adds to NTA Concerns

This is the second exam failure for the NTA in as many weeks, especially when students are already facing the heat after the cancellation of the NEET-UG 2026 following various irregularities and alleged paper leak. The exam, held on May 3, has been postponed to June 21, and a CBI probe is ordered by the Ministry of Education.

Atishi Targets Centre Over CUET Chaos

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Atishi has launched a sharp attack on Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, citing the CUET delay as yet another example of incompetence.

"Today CUET has been delayed due to a ‘technical issue’. Lakhs of students were to take the exam in all parts of India today and after waiting for hours, such notices have been put up outside all centres. Remarkable incompetence @dpradhanbjp!” Atishi wrote on X.

The cancellation of NEET-UG 2026 and transferring the investigation to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) by itself, according to the NTA, conveyed the seriousness with which examination sanctity is looked upon by itself as well as by the Union government.

Court Demands Responsibility In NEET

The court said that accountability needs to be fixed for such catastrophic fiascos that take place on the lives of lakhs of students.

“The real problem will not stop till there is actual accountability. Not in terms of so and so will be liable, it will be effective when we know which individual shoulders the responsibility. Unless you identify the specific duty-bearers, it will be difficult,” Justice Narasimha added.

Strict Security Measures For NEET

The National Testing Agency (NTA) told the Supreme Court that it had instituted wide structural and security reforms following the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak scam and cancellation of the examination.

A High-Powered Steering Committee (HPSC), in a meeting dated 17th April 2026, has analysed the preparation of NEET-UG 2026 and recommended an array of safeguards under various pre-examination, examination and post-examination phases.

CCTV Monitoring For NEET Centres

These measures include: compulsory CCTV checks and retention of footage for a minimum of 90 days, mock drills to be carried out in examination centers, weather contingency plans, checks on power backup systems, provision of emergency medical facilities, strict physical verification of centers a week prior to examination. Further, the HPSC suggested, there should be post-examination forensic examination of CCTVs to identify malicious activity.

Secure Transport Plan For Papers

Question paper trunks would be sent through India Post with chain-of-custody protocols. Question papers from the press would be transported to nodal hubs with Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF), then to district custodians via India Post and further to examination centers with the District Police.

Further the affidavit has added that Confidential Operations (CONOPs) have been operationalized. Question paper setters will work in isolated rooms free from Internet/mobile access and a separate chamber will be dedicated for confidential work in the office.

Court Orders Document Disclosure

The Singapore court ordered Raveendran to present himself before the authorities, pay S$90,000 for legal expenses and produce documents proving he owns Beeaar Investco Pte, a company that held stakes in a related firm, reported Bloomberg.

The verdict is the first significant legal setback for the founder of Byju's, which was once India's most valued startup and is grappling with investor disputes, debt litigation and operational problems amid an ongoing post-pandemic decline.

Byju's Founder Denies Any Wrongdoing Claims

Raveendran said in a statement after the ruling that settlement talks with lenders and investors like GLAS Trust and QIA were close to conclusion and termed the legal action an unnecessary escalation.

“The lenders, including GLAS Trust and QIA, as well as other stakeholders, have been in discussions with the founders and other parties. A settlement has been agreed in principle, with only a few residual minor issues left to be finalised between certain parties. I have no role in those remaining issues,” he said.

“As part of the settlement discussions, the parties have also acknowledged that there has been no wrongdoing on my part or on the part of the other founders. That is why it is deeply unfortunate that this matter is being used to create a contrary public narrative at this sensitive stage,” he added.

Raveendran Targets Lenders On Hiding Information

This decision comes months after a Delaware court in December 2025 overturned its prior $1 billion judgment against Raveendran, following the review of fresh submissions filed by a motion seeking correction of a November 20 ruling. The court noted damages had not been properly assessed and ordered fresh proceedings.

Raveendran's team argued that GLAS Trust and lenders had concealed or misrepresented critical information during the legal proceedings, which contributed to the collapse of the edtech business and erosion of enterprise value.

Byju’s Rise During COVID Pandemic

Byju's, founded in 2011 as Think & Learn Pvt Ltd, started as an online learning platform for school education and exam preparation and became immensely popular during the Covid-19 pandemic. The company acquired firms like Aakash Educational Services, Great Learning and Epic to expand its presence. It became the face of India's startup boom, attracting billions from global investors. The company's aggressive growth was fueled by spending and debt rather than profitability. 

Notable projects on display include the upcycling and recycling of everyday materials, introducing the idea of ‘repurposing’ raw materials into usable, environment-friendly products. Another project is anchored in sensitizing students to designing ecologically responsive architecture in ecologically sensitive areas. The exhibited work also showcases projects addressing issues and complexities in urban areas, such as the lack of public spaces for communities, missing footpaths, and more. These projects have cultivated ideas around designing public spaces between and around buildings, emphasizing the improvement of the quality of public spaces.

“This year’s Spring Semester Exhibition showcases excellent work undertaken by our students of SEDA, exhibiting some of the finest and most relevant projects of our time,” said Smt. Tejal Amin, Chairperson, Navrachana Education Society.

“Through students’ works, it is evident that the projects undertaken this semester have generated curiosity, everyday awareness, and sensitivity towards repurposing, ecology, society, and people-centric public spaces,” said Prof. Pratyush Shankar, Provost, Navrachana University and Dean, SEDA.

This exhibition will open on Wednesday, 20th May, at 5:30 pm and will remain open to the public on Thursday, 21st May 2026, from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm. A guest lecture by Venkat Srinivasan, founding member and co-director of the Milli Archives Foundation, Bangalore, has also been organized on 20th May 2026. The exhibition presents an excellent opportunity for aspiring students intending to join design programmes to gain better insight into the type of work undertaken in these programmes.

For more information - https://nuv.ac.in/schools/environmental-design-and-architecture/

The board has announced two changes. The first change is about making the question papers shorter. The second change is about taking action against people who cheat with answer sheets and marks.

The Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education wants to make exams less stressful for students. The board chairman, Trigun Kulkarni says that the changes will help students and make the exams better.

Shorter Question Papers to Reduce Student Stress

The Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education is planning to make the exam papers simpler and smaller.

Some question papers are very long up to 10 or 11 pages. This makes it hard for students to manage during exams. The long papers also cost a lot to print every year.

The Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education spends around ₹30 crore on printing exam papers each year.

To fix this problem a special committee looked into the matter. Suggested a new way of doing things.

The new plan is to make question papers shorter three or four pages and print on both sides. This will save a lot of money 60% and use less paper.

Trigun Kulkarni says that the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education wants to make exams easier for students to understand and less stressful.

The new format will also make the questions easier to read. The main questions and sub-questions will be, on the page making the paper more organised.

The new format will have:

Better question sequencing

A clearer marking scheme

formatting

An improved numbering system

 Easy-to-read multiple-choice sections

The officials think that these changes will help students focus better during exams and avoid confusion.

Stricter Laws Against Exam Fraud and Mark Manipulation

The Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education is also planning to take action against exam fraud.

The current law, the Maharashtra Prevention of Malpractices Act, 1982 mainly deals with paper leaks and cheating.In recent years there have been many cases of answer sheet tampering and fake revaluation.

The Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education wants to make these crimes more serious.

Kulkarni says that the current laws are not strong enough. So the board is trying to change the laws.If the changes are approved people who cheat with answer sheets and marks can be. Punished without delay.

Education experts think that these changes can make the exams more transparent and fair.

The changes can help students by reducing pressure and making sure that people who cheat are punished.

Rahul Gandhi said, “Twenty-two lakh NEET kids have been cheated. Yet Modi ji isn't uttering a single word. Remove Dharmendra Pradhan ji right now, or take responsibility yourself.”

"Dharmendra Pradhan ji, India's Education Minister, says, 'I have nothing to do with it.' The committee had made recommendations, which he threw into the dustbin. He said, 'Opposition people are sitting in the committee, it doesn't mean anything, there is no need for it.' The truth is that you have damaged the core, the center of India. The Prime Minister should give an immediate order that Dharmendra Pradhan ji should resign, he should be sacked, and the people who are guilty should be caught and put in jail," he added.

Sikar Flat Linked to NEET Scam

The Central Bureau of Investigation(CBI) investigation has put Rajasthan's Sikar district under close scanner regarding the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak case. The probe agency has apprehended three individuals in this connection. According to official sources, the accused were suspected of procuring a 'guess' paper, which was almost similar to the NEET paper and making its copies and providing it to the coaching centres which then distribute the question papers among candidates. 

Officials further traced a flat in Sikar which is suspected of being used as a center of coordination where the distribution of papers were conducted and candidates were communicated to. 

Pune Teacher Arrested After Probe

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested a kingpin from Maharashtra over the Biology questions in the NEET-UG 2026 test. The Kingpin, identified as Manisha Gurunath Mandhare, a botany teacher at Pune, was employed as an expert by the National Testing Agency.

The agency stated that the accused made recruitment of candidates who would have given the NEET examinations with the assistance of Manisha Wagmare.

NTA Cancels Disputed NEET-UG 2026 Exam

The National testing agency (NTA) cancelled the NEET-UG 2026 test that was conducted on May 3 after the discovery of evidence pointing out similarities in the question papers conducted that day with those which was already circulated on the prior date.

After investigating the issue, the examination results were postponed, and the entire process was transferred to the Central Bureau of investigation (CBI). The rescheduled test is expected to be held on June 21.

The Botany teacher from Maharashtra was arrested in Delhi after being questioned for many hours by the CBI. She was granted access to both Botany and Zoology question papers in her capacity as an expert associated with the National Testing Agency (NTA).

Manisha Accused of Sharing NEET Questions

According to sources, the accused Manisha Mandhare was associated with the Modern College of Arts, Science and Commerce, located in Shivajinagar, Pune. Sources claimed that Mandhare had been contributing to the preparation of NEET question papers for the past five to six years. 

Mandhare was involved in preparing Botany and Zoology sections of NEET UG 2026 examination and was at that time in the service of the aforementioned Pune college. The allegation is that the investigation system enabled her to gain unrestricted access to the questions during the examination.

Mandhare Conducted Classes at Her Residence

The CBI claimed that she gathered students for the NEET entrance examination through Manisha Wagmare of Pune, who had already been taken into custody in May on the 14th. According to the CBI, Manisha conducted special coaching for students in her home where she leaked some Botany and Zoology questions and asked the students to copy them in their notebooks and textbooks.

They added that the majority of those questions appeared in the NEET-UG 2026 conducted on May 3 (now cancelled) and also that those had matches with the original question paper.

Nine Accused Arrested After Probe

The investigation is spreading over many states. Six locations were searched and laptop, mobile phones, bank details and various documents seized in the past 24 hours and their digital and financial analysis is on. Thus far nine persons are under arrest in different places like Delhi, Jaipur, Gurugram, Nashik, Pune and Ahilyanagar. Many accused have been remanded to police custody.

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Kulkarni Linked to NEET Paper Setting

PV Kulkarni was an integral part of the examination process of the NTA (which organized the examination) and thus, had the answers and questions of the entrance test which was conducted on May 3rd. 

He was one of the main setters of the NEET question paper over many years. The former college professor was apprehended by the central agency on the evening of Thursday, May 14th. 

Kulkarni Held NEET Coaching Sessions

Investigations showed that Kulkarni, aided by another accused Manisha Waghmare, organized coaching classes for students who paid to get the NEET examination questions in the last week of April. Waghmare was arrested by the central agency on Thursday, May 14th as well. The students used to attend private training sessions at this Pune home. 

In these exclusive lessons Kulkarni wrote down the questions, the given answer choices, and the correct answers in their notebooks, and the written questions exactly matched the official question paper set on May 3rd. 

Eight Accused Arrested in Leak Case

Currently, 7 suspects have been arrested from Jaipur, Gurugram, Nashik, Pune, and Ahilyanagar in connection to the case. The latest arrest means that 8 persons have been taken into custody to date.

The first seven arrested had been brought before court, and were remanded for seven days into police custody, so the authorities can obtain further details about the paper leak. Those arrested on Thursday are to be presented before a Pune court, and will eventually be brought to Delhi for more proceedings, so that the transit remand can be procured. 

NEET Re-Exam To Be Conducted in June

The undergraduate admissions test which was conducted on May 3rd, was cancelled on the 12th, due to allegations of a question paper leak, the Center has since handed the case over to the CBI for further investigations. The NEET UG 2026 will be re-conducted on June 21st between 2PM to 5:15PM.

The exam, which is mandatory for all undergraduate medical admissions in India, will be re-conducted on new dates, the announcement of which will be made shortly. 

NTA Cancels NEET UG 2026 examination

The National Testing Agency said the cancellation was in accordance with the need to preserve the transparency and sanctity of the national examination and evaluation system and had received the sanction of the government.

"On the basis of inputs subsequently examined by the National Testing Agency and investigative findings shared by law enforcement agencies, the NTA, with the approval of the Government of India, has decided to cancel the NEET (UG) 2026 examination conducted on May 3," the agency said.

No Fresh Registration for Students Required

Despite the difficult situation created by the re-examination to the students and their respective families, the same was inevitable for protection of the sanctity of the national examination system and maintenance of the people's trust in it. 

The NTA added that the registration details, candidatures and center locations will also remain unchanged, so students will not be required to register or pay any additional fee. The exam itself will be re-conducted with NTA's own resources. 

Government Orders CBI Inquiry into Leak Allegations

The central government has also mandated a CBI inquiry to investigate the alleged discrepancies surrounding the exam. 

“The Government of India has further decided to refer the matter to the Central Bureau of Investigation for a comprehensive inquiry into the allegations therein. NTA will extend full cooperation to the Bureau and will provide all materials, records, and assistance the inquiry requires," the agency said.

Guess Paper Claims Spark Integrity Concerns

This comes after evidence was found indicating that a so-called "guess paper," that supposedly contains most of the same questions as the real exam, was made available to students prior to the test. According to NTA's statement regarding the cancellations, it made this decision due to the fact that the inputs from central agencies and law enforcement officials demonstrated a lack of transparency and faith in the examination system.