The NEET-UG (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test-Undergraduate) exam held on May 5 has been marred by accusations of question paper leaks and misconduct. Four candidates from Patna have been arrested by the local police after confessing to obtaining leaked question papers that matched the actual exam papers. The individuals involved are Anurag Yadav, Ayush Raj, Abhishek Kumar, and Shivanandan Kumar. They implicated three facilitators: Sikandar Prasad Yadavendu, Amit Anand, and Nitish Kumar. Yadavendu, a Junior Engineer in Bihar’s Danapur Town Council, was identified as a central figure in the scandal. Anurag Yadav, his nephew, received the leaked question paper from him, with further assistance provided by Amit Anand and Nitish Kumar in exam preparation.

In a shocking revelation, Awdhesh Kumar, father of Abhishek Kumar, admitted to bribing officials to secure his son’s success in the NEET exam. “I signed two blank cheques for Yadavendu a year ago in exchange for my son passing the NEET exam,” he disclosed, with the settlement amounting to Rs 40 lakh.

Meanwhile, details emerged linking a ‘Mantri Ji’ who allegedly facilitated accommodations for Yadav and his mother at a government residence in Patna, as per documents accessed by India Today.

In response to these developments, the Union Education Ministry has requested a comprehensive report from Bihar Police’s Economic Offences Unit on the alleged irregularities in the Patna NEET exam. A senior ministry official emphasized the government’s commitment to upholding examination integrity and safeguarding student interests. “Strict actions will be taken against any individual or organization found involved in this matter,” the official underscored.

The NEET UG exam was conducted across 4,750 centers, with approximately 24 lakh candidates participating. Originally scheduled for June 14, the results were announced earlier on June 4 following the completion of answer sheet evaluations.