India's CBI charges 13 in NEET paper leak as protests force minister's resignation

NEET paper leak CBI charges Dharmendra Pradhan resignation anti‑paper‑leak bill student protests

India’s Central Bureau of Investigation filed charge sheets against 13 people – three subject experts from the National Testing Agency, several middlemen and two coaching‑institute affiliates – for criminal conspiracy, cheating, breach of trust and destroying evidence linked to the NEET‑UG 2026 paper leak. All accused are in custody.

The leak led to the cancellation of the May NEET exam, which had about two million candidates, and a re‑test was held on 21 June 2026. Massive youth‑led protests erupted across the country, culminating in the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

In response, Parliament passed the Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill 2026, proposing prison terms of five to ten years and fines up to 50 million rupees for future leaks. MP Raghav Chadha, speaking in the Rajya Sabha, supported the bill and called for an institutional solution.

The Supreme Court ordered the release of detained minors and the preservation of surveillance footage. The government also announced that future NEET examinations will be conducted on a computer‑based platform rather than traditional OMR sheets.

Separate incidents related to the protests include a police‑recorded assault on a student protester in Bengaluru, for which a case was filed.

Entities: Central Bureau of Investigation · Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) · Cockroach Janata Party · Dharmendra Pradhan · Indian Parliament · NEET (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test) · Narendra Modi · National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) · National Testing Agency · National Testing Agency (NTA) · Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill 2026 · Public Examinations Amendment Bill, 2026

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.

[● 6 SOURCES] The Central Bureau of Investigation filed a charge sheet against 13 people in connection with the NEET paper leak. (CBI)
[● 3 SOURCES] The Supreme Court ordered the release of detained minors and the preservation of surveillance footage from the protests. (Supreme Court order)
[● 4 SOURCES] The charges include criminal conspiracy, cheating, breach of trust and destruction of evidence. (CBI charge sheet)
[● 7 SOURCES] Youth protests over the leak forced the Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan to resign. (Parliamentary and media reports)
[○ 1 SOURCE] A NEET‑UG 2026 candidate petitioned the Supreme Court after his result changed three times, seeking his original OMR sheet. (Supreme Court petition)
[○ 1 SOURCE] In 2026, teachers who set and translated NEET‑UG questions allegedly memorised and shared the paper with students, though officials say no formal leak occurred. (CBI source)
[● 4 SOURCES] All 13 accused individuals are being held in custody. (CBI statements and court records)
[● 3 SOURCES] Parliament passed the Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill 2026, proposing prison terms of five to ten years and fines up to 50 million rupees for exam paper leaks. (Existing)
[○ 1 SOURCE] Actor Ayesha Khan was detained by Mumbai police while protesting the NEET paper leak. (supports)
[● 6 SOURCES] BJP MP Raghav Chadha broke his silence in the Rajya Sabha during a debate on the anti‑paper leak bill. (supports)
[● 4 SOURCES] Raghav Chadha said paper‑leak issues need an institutional solution, not media soundbites. (supports)
[● 3 SOURCES] Hundreds of students protested across India over the NEET paper leak. (supports)