Ahmedabad: The cancellation of the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET-UG) 2026 after confirmation of a question paper leak has triggered panic, outrage, and political sparring, with thousands of students in Gujarat forced to put their travel plans, counselling, and future decisions on hold. Nearly 22.8 lakh candidates across the country, including an estimated 80,000 aspirants from Gujarat, will now have to appear for the exam again.The National Testing Agency (NTA) announced the decision after complaints regarding a suspected paper leak surfaced soon after the May 3 exam. NEET, the country’s largest medical entrance exam for admissions to MBBS, BDS, ayurveda, and homeopathy courses, was conducted nationwide earlier this month. Following complaints from students and parents, the NTA launched a probe and later confirmed that the question paper had been compromised.The development has left students and parents in Gujarat deeply anxious. Many aspirants, believing the stressful exam phase was finally over, had already travelled for vacations within India and abroad. Several families are now scrambling to cancel trips and return so that students can resume preparation for the fresh exam, which is likely to be conducted within a week.Students said the decision has taken a severe emotional toll. Many had spent nearly two years preparing for NEET and are now worried about whether they can reproduce the same level of performance under pressure again in a short time. Some candidates are even considering taking a gap year instead of immediately appearing for the re-test.The controversy has also reignited criticism over the conduct of national-level entrance exams. With more than 22.8 lakh applicants and an exam fee of around Rs 1,000 per candidate, the NTA is estimated to have collected nearly Rs 220 crore through registrations. Education experts and parents have questioned how such a large-scale breach could occur despite the enormous resources involved.The issue has snowballed into a political controversy. The Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) spokesperson, Manish Doshi, accused the NTA and the central govt of a “systematic failure” in conducting competitive exams. He said NEET has repeatedly faced similar controversies over the past decade, raising serious concerns about the credibility of the exam system.Doshi further alleged that paper leaks and exam irregularities over the past seven years have impacted nearly 2 crore youth across 65 exams, including SSC, UPSC, and NEET. He demanded accountability, a comprehensive investigation, and strict action against those responsible for the leak.The BJP’s youth wing, Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), also expressed concern about the controversy and said that the integrity and transparency of national-level entrance exams must not be compromised. The student organisation called for a fair and time-bound investigation by central agencies and for stringent punishment for anyone involved in malpractice.ABVP national general secretary Virendra Singh Solanki said such incidents severely damage the morale of hardworking students and create uncertainty about their future.In Gujarat, coaching institutes and parents’ groups said the cancellation has shaken students’ confidence and intensified concerns over the management and security of the country’s most important entrance exams.
