KTR Slams Centre After NEET-UG Cancellation Over Paper Leak Allegations

The cancellation of the NEET-UG 2026 examination following allegations of a major question paper leak has triggered a political storm across the country, with BRS Working President K. T. Rama Rao accused the Central government of failing to protect the integrity of one of India’s most crucial entrance examinations.

Reacting strongly to the controversy, KTR described the incident as a “complete collapse” of the national examination system and alleged that the NDA government had jeopardised the future of lakhs of medical aspirants. He said students who spent months preparing day and night for the highly competitive examination were now facing uncertainty because of administrative failures.

The controversy erupted after reports claimed that portions of the NEET question paper had allegedly circulated before the examination. Following mounting criticism and growing evidence of irregularities, the National Testing Agency (NTA) cancelled the exam and announced a re-test. The Centre has also reportedly handed over the investigation to the CBI , which is probing suspected leak networks operating across several states.

KTR alleged that the latest incident exposed serious loopholes in the conduct of national-level examinations. Referring to the NEET controversy in 2024, he said authorities had failed to learn from previous mistakes, resulting in another crisis that has shaken public confidence in the examination process.

According to reports, more than 100 questions from the leaked material allegedly matched the actual examination paper, raising concerns over the scale of the breach. The BRS leader said such repeated irregularities were becoming a “curse” for students aspiring to pursue higher education through competitive exams.

Nearly 23 lakh students appeared for NEET this year, making it one of the largest entrance tests in the country. The sudden cancellation has left students and parents anxious over revised schedules, admission timelines and the uncertainty surrounding the re-examination process.

Demanding immediate action, KTR urged the Central government to order a transparent and time-bound probe and ensure strict punishment for everyone involved, regardless of their influence. He also called for the re-examination to be conducted under tighter security measures and demanded that the Centre apologise to students and parents for the distress caused by the controversy.