Re-NEET 2026 Paper Leak Claim: Ahmedabad Student Alleges Telegram Network Charging Lakhs for Question Papers

The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test, Undergraduate (NEET UG) 2026 examination has already been making headlines this year due to alleged paper leak. Following allegations of a paper leak, the exam was cancelled, a re-examination was announced, and now, ahead of the re-examination, another alleged paper leak and online scam has come to light. An Ahmedabad-based student, Shubham Thakar, claims that an organised network is operating on Telegram, collecting large sums of money from students by promising access to the re-NEET question paper.

According to Thakar, he first learned about the matter through his junior students. Having appeared for the NEET exam in 2023 and 2024, he was contacted by a junior who informed him about Telegram groups and channels claiming to sell the re-NEET paper. Initially, he assumed it was a prank or a small-scale scam.

However, after entering these channels, he says the situation appeared far more serious. Thakar alleges that this is not a simple Telegram group, but an extensive network. He claims a main channel called “N Project” has been created, containing links to various backup channels and private groups. These reportedly include 'Announcement Private Channel', 'Re-NEET Pay Private Channel', 'Backup 1', 'Backup 2', 'Backup 3', and 'Important Announcement Main Channel'.

According to him, this structure is designed to allow the network to quickly shift operations if authorities shut down any one group. He further claims that access to these groups is sold through Telegram’s Star Coins system. Students are allegedly charged anywhere from Rs 250 and Rs 500 to as much as Rs 5,000–Rs 10,000 to gain entry into increasingly exclusive private groups.

As a result, only students willing to pay can move deeper into the network. According to Thakar, after progressing through several levels, he was contacted via Telegram audio call by a person identifying himself as “Raghav Sir.” Thakar claims the individual offered him 170 re-NEET questions in exchange for a Rs 60,000 token payment. Of these, 70 questions were allegedly to be provided immediately, with the remaining questions shared closer to the examination. He further alleges that the same person claimed to have had access to the original NEET 2026 paper as well.

The students recalled that the accused initially avoided sharing bank account details and instead insisted on payments through FamPay or QR codes, allegedly to make tracking more difficult. After repeated requests, he claims he received bank account details linked to a person named “Rahul Kalyan,” who appears to be from Maharashtra. He also alleges that the network uses coded language to evade Telegram moderation and law enforcement scrutiny.

For instance, terms such as “NEET” are reportedly replaced with “N,” “Paper Leak” with “Material,” “Gift,” or “PDF,” “Payment” with “Support,” and “Leak” with “Fresh Arrival.” Private groups are allegedly given names like “VIP Private Study Hub” to avoid attracting suspicion. Thakar further claims that upon entering in one of the final groups, he found three files named “reneetbio.pdf,” “reneetchemistry.pdf,” and “reneetphysics.pdf.” He was allowed to download one of the files, which was password-protected.

According to him, the file, along with screenshots and other evidence, has been submitted to Ahmedabad Cyber Crime authorities. One of the most startling allegations concerns a scheme involving separate smartphones, fake SIM cards, and routers. Thakar claims that a group called “NEET Slot Booking” was offering students a smartphone for Rs 25,000–Rs 40,000 and an additional fake SIM card and router for Rs 10,000. The alleged promise was that the paper would be delivered only to that specific device, preventing further sharing.

He also referenced another group that allegedly collected crores of rupees from students. According to his claim, nearly 7,900 people had deposited token amounts in one group, and the administrators shared a screenshot showing collections of approximately Rs 5 crore. Thakar says he has filed a formal complaint with Ahmedabad Cyber Crime and met with officers at the ACP level, providing screenshots, audio recordings, bank account details, and other documents. He says the authorities have initiated an investigation.

He has also questioned the functioning of the National Testing Agency (NTA), arguing that despite previous allegations regarding NEET paper leaks, such networks continue to operate openly. He contends that if so many Telegram channels and payment systems are functioning at scale, authorities should have acted sooner.

Additionally, he has demanded a temporary ban on Telegram until the re-NEET examination is completed, claiming that the platform is being widely used for these activities. He argues that such incidents place immense psychological pressure on students and jeopardize the futures of lakhs of aspirants.

However, none of these allegations have been officially verified so far. It remains unclear whether the papers allegedly being sold are genuine or simply part of a fraudulent scheme targeting anxious students. Cyber Crime authorities and other agencies are currently investigating the matter, and the truth behind the alleged network and its claims will only become clear once the inquiry is completed. Get Latest News Live on Times Now along with Breaking News and Top Headlines from Education, CBSE, JEE, UPSC and around the world.