Under IAF security shield, NEET paper leak claim sparks alarm in Ajmer

New Delhi: Even as authorities rolled out one of the most extensive security operations ever seen for a national entrance examination, an unidentified caller allegedly attempted to sell a NEET question paper to students in Rajasthan’s Ajmer for ₹30,000 just a day before the re-exam. The incident has raised concerns over attempts to exploit anxious candidates.

However, preliminary police assessments suggest it may have been a scam rather than an actual paper leak.

According to a complaint filed with the police, a first-year DAV College student received a call from an unknown number on Saturday. The caller claimed to possess the NEET question paper and allegedly displayed what appeared to be the paper during a video call when asked for proof.

Former DAV College Students’ Union president and ABVP member Krishna Singh Thakur alleged that he too received a call from the same number. The caller reportedly demanded ₹30,000 in exchange for the paper and shared an online payment number. Thakur has submitted a recording of the conversation to the police.

Ajmer additional superintendent of police Himanshu Jagid said an investigation has been launched to identify the caller and verify whether the document shown during the video call had any connection to the actual examination material.

The alleged offer comes despite extraordinary security arrangements put in place for the NEET re-examination. As earlier reported, question papers were transported to 18 nodal centres in state capitals using Mi-17 helicopters before being handed over to CRPF and CISF personnel for round-the-clock protection. The movement of examination material is being monitored through GPS-enabled vehicles under police escort and sealed protocols.

Across the country, more than two lakh personnel, including city coordinators, observers, invigilators, district officials and police teams, have been deployed. Examination centres are under CCTV surveillance linked to central control rooms, while candidates are required to undergo Aadhaar-based biometric verification and security screening before entry.

The re-examination comes after the original NEET-UG 2026 test was scrapped in the face of allegations of question paper irregularities. The National Testing Agency (NTA) has also established a special portal for reporting suspected leaks, misinformation and examination-related fraud.

Student leaders have asked candidates not to believe those claiming to have access to question papers and to immediately report such approaches to the police or cybercrime authorities. Police are continuing their investigation to determine whether the caller was part of a wider scam network targeting NEET aspirants ahead of the examination.