Overview
- The CBI arrested Pune school headmistress Manisha Sanjay Havaldar, identified as an NTA-appointed physics expert, in its probe that has now produced 11 accused, with the agency saying she shared physics questions before the May 3 exam.
- Investigators say the case points to an organised network of empanelled subject experts, middlemen and coaching operators who charged money to supply leaked questions and run secret sessions for select students.
- Searches across multiple cities have yielded laptops, mobile phones and bank and financial records that the CBI is sending for forensic analysis to trace who prepared, translated and distributed the leaked material.
- The NTA cancelled the May 3 NEET-UG, set a re-exam for June 21 under tightened security and opened a refund window for candidates to submit bank details by May 27 for fee repayment.
- Public protests and political pressure have surged with demands for ministerial accountability and the government has said it will push for technology-driven, computer-based testing next year to harden exam safeguards.