NEET-UG 2026 Cancelled: Who Is Shubham Khairnar? Medical Student Arrested From Nashik In Paper Leak Case

· Free Press Journal

In a major breakthrough in the NEET-UG 2026 exam paper leak case, the Nashik City Crime Branch on May 12 arrested a young man identified as Shubham Khairnar from the Indira Nagar area of Maharashtra’s Nashik. According to reports, the arrest was carried out following specific inputs shared by the Rajasthan Police.

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His arrest was not the only one. So far, nine arrests have been made across five states, while nearly 45 people have been detained or questioned in connection with the case, reports said.

Who is Shubham Khairnar?

According to officials, Khairnar is a Bachelor of Medical Sciences student in Bhopal. He is around 30 years old and lives with his family in Nashik’s Indiranagar area.

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He is originally from Nandgaon taluka in Nashik district. Reports claim that he received a physical copy of the ‘guess paper’ in Nashik a few days before the NEET exam on May 3 and later forwarded a soft copy to a person in Haryana.

Khairnar was detained around noon while he was reportedly on his way to a temple for darshan. He had also allegedly changed his appearance and even cut his hair to avoid identification. However, he could not hide his identity and was taken into custody after police matched his face using old photographs.

Who is the alleged mastermind?

According to sources, a man identified as Manish Yadav is suspected to be the mastermind behind the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak. He is accused of playing a central role in coordinating the leak network and has been taken into custody. Another accused, identified as Rakesh Mandawariya, has also been detained. He is accused of distributing the leaked examination material.

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NEET UG 2026 Cancelled Amid Paper Leak Allegations

NEET UG 2026 has been cancelled after allegations surfaced that multiple questions from a widely circulated “guess paper” closely matched those asked in the May 3 examination. In response, the Government has handed over the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation for a detailed probe into the alleged irregularities.

In a recent statement, the National Testing Agency said the decision was based on inputs from central agencies and preliminary findings indicating a possible compromise in the integrity of the examination process.

Stating that the examination “could not be allowed to continue,” the agency announced that NEET UG 2026 would be conducted again on fresh dates, which are expected to be announced later.

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Lakhs of Students Left in Uncertainty

NEET UG is one of India’s largest entrance examinations for undergraduate medical admissions, with nearly 22 lakh candidates reportedly appearing this year.

Following the cancellation, students across the country are facing uncertainty regarding revised exam dates, preparation timelines, and the broader admission process.

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