NEET paper leak a 'grave sin', must never happen again: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday, July 21, described the alleged NEET-UG 2026 paper leak as a "grave sin" and said such incidents must not be allowed to recur, asserting that the government had acted swiftly by arresting those involved and ordering a re-examination.

Addressing the NDA Parliamentary Party meeting, Modi said the government responded immediately after the alleged paper leak came to light.

Terming the incident a "ghor paap" (grave sin), the Prime Minister said 13 accused had been arrested and were currently in judicial custody.

He stressed the need for stringent action against those responsible and called for the cooperation of State governments to prevent similar incidents in the future.

Briefing reporters after the meeting, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said the government had acted promptly to safeguard the interests of students and preserve the integrity of the examination process.

He said the decision to conduct a fresh NEET-UG examination was taken after the alleged leak came to light, and that the re-examination was conducted successfully, with the results declared on schedule.

Rijiju said the Prime Minister had called for the strictest possible punishment for those involved in the alleged paper leak, adding that exemplary action would serve as a deterrent against future examination malpractices.

The remarks come amid continuing protests over the alleged irregularities in the medical entrance examination and growing demands for greater transparency and accountability in the conduct of competitive examinations.

The alleged leak led to the cancellation of the original NEET-UG 2026 examination and the conduct of a nationwide re-test, while investigations into the case are continuing.