The CBI on 22 May 2026 arrested Manisha Sanjay Havaldar, a teacher at Seth Hiralal Saraf Prashala, Pune, for allegedly leaking physics questions of the NEET‑UG 2026 examination.
Key Developments
- Havaldar, appointed as an expert by the NTA, had full access to the physics question paper and shared select items with co‑accused Manisha Mandhare in April.
- The leaked questions matched the official physics paper released on 3 May 2026, confirming the breach.
- Earlier arrests include senior botany teacher Manisha Gurunath Mandhare (biology leak) and chemistry lecturer P.V. Kulkarni (chemistry leak).
- Searches across multiple states yielded laptops, bank statements, and mobile phones; forensic analysis is ongoing.
- The case was registered on 12 May 2026 after a written complaint from the Department of Higher Education.
Important Facts
- Nearly 23 lakh candidates appeared for NEET‑UG 2026, making the exam one of the largest single‑day assessments in India.
- Other accused arrested include Dhananjay Lokhande (Ahilyanagar), Shubham Khairnar (Nashik), Mangilal Biwal, Vikas Biwal, Dinesh Biwal (Jaipur), and Yash Yadav (Gurugram).
- The alleged question paper leak involved coordinated sharing of subject‑wise papers to aspirants, compromising the exam’s credibility.
Exam Relevance
This case touches upon several UPSC themes: the role of investigative agencies in safeguarding public interest (GS2: Polity), the functioning of autonomous bodies like the NTA, and the challenges of maintaining integrity in large‑scale examinations (GS3: Education). It also highlights inter‑departmental coordination between the Minis