NEET UG 2026 paper leak: Youth Congress protests in Delhi; chief Uday Bhanu Chib detained

Student groups in Delhi staged protests on May 16, 2026, over the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak, demanding Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation and a ban on the National Testing Agency (NTA). The Indian Youth Congress (IYC) marched from Teen Murti Circle, with president Uday Bhanu Chib detained by police, while NSUI protesters symbolically locked NTA’s office with chains. Both groups accused the BJP-led government of systemic corruption, citing 89 leaks in 12 years and four prior NEET leaks, claiming wealthy students benefit while poorer students suffer. The NEET-UG exam, held May 3, was canceled after irregularities emerged, with a re-test scheduled for June 21 by Pradhan. Protesters alleged NTA’s incompetence, with one calling it the ‘National Corruption Agency’ and demanding its shutdown. NSUI accused the BJP of inaction against leaks, despite promises to root out corruption, and criticized Pradhan for protecting NTA. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested PV Kulkarni, a Chemistry lecturer linked to NTA, as the mastermind behind the NEET-UG 2026 leak. The CBI stated Kulkarni had access to question papers during the last week of April 2026. Protesters linked the leak to broader failures, with one stating, ‘Students are committing suicide—who is responsible?’ The demonstrations highlighted systemic distrust in India’s exam integrity, with demands for accountability targeting both NTA and the BJP government. Pradhan’s office has not yet responded to calls for resignation, while the CBI continues its probe into the leak’s extent and collaborators.