- 13 hours ago
The Central Bureau of Investigation has arrested chemistry lecturer PV Kulkarni in Pune, identifying him as the alleged kingpin behind the NEET UG paper leak that led to the cancellation of the 2026 entrance examination.
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00:00Hello everyone, you're watching NewsTrack with me, Maria Shakil.
00:04A major breakthrough in the NEAT paper leak case.
00:07The CBI has arrested Pune-based chemistry lecturer P.V. Kulkarni,
00:12alleging that he was the kingpin behind the paper leak
00:15that triggered the cancellation of the 2026 entrance examination.
00:20According to investigators, P.V. Kulkarni leaked question papers
00:24and answer keys to aspirants during secret tuition sessions.
00:28The accused was allegedly linked to the examination process through the NTA,
00:33that is the National Testing Agency,
00:35giving him access to confidential NEAT papers for the May 3rd exam.
00:40This comes hours after the Education Minister admitted there were lapses
00:45in the examination system and acknowledged the need for urgent reforms.
00:50In a significant announcement, the government has now decided
00:53that from next year, NEAT-UG will be conducted in computer-based test mode.
00:59With the NEAT re-exam scheduled now for June 21st,
01:03serious questions are now being raised over the credibility
01:06of India's competitive examination system.
01:09Was there a mole inside the exam system?
01:12And is a full-scale examination reform now unavoidable?
01:16Before I bring in the guests, here's what happened today.
01:38We accept the mistake and we will fix the system.
01:42For lakhs of NEAT aspirants, this is no longer just about an entrance exam.
01:48It is about trust, trust in a system they spent years believing in.
01:54And that trust stands deeply shaken now.
01:58Amid nationwide outrage over the NEAT-UG Paper League controversy,
02:01the centre has now announced a re-examination for affected candidates on June 21st.
02:08The Education Minister says merit will not be sacrificed at the altar of the Paper League Mafia.
02:33But for students who burned the midnight oil,
02:37sacrificed childhoods and pinned their futures on a single exam,
02:41this reassurance may have come too late.
02:45In a rare admission, Dharmendra Pradhan has acknowledged that the NTA needs urgent repair.
02:52Every possible NTA link is now under the scanner.
02:56The government is even weighing a complete shift to online exams from next year.
03:02An extraordinary move triggered by an extraordinary collapse of credibility.
03:18At the centre of the CBI probe is what investigators believe to be a sophisticated, years-old criminal network.
03:25The agency has arrested the alleged kingpin of the NEAT-UG Paper League.
03:29P.V. Kulkarni is a chemistry teacher, associated with the examination process on behalf of the NTA.
03:36Originally from Lathur and operating out of Pune,
03:39Kulkarni allegedly handpicked students to another accused, Manisha.
03:43He then conducted secret coaching sessions from his residence.
03:47Investigators say questions, answer options and even correct answers
03:52were allegedly dictated to selected candidates before the exam.
03:57So far, at least seven accused have been arrested from across the country.
04:01But with every arrest, one question only grows louder.
04:06How deep does this racket go?
04:08And while agencies chase the masterminds,
04:11students are left battling anxiety, uncertainty and despair.
04:16In UP's Lakhim Purkhiri,
04:18a 21-year-old NEAT aspirant has allegedly died by suicide.
04:22His family says he was heartbroken by the cancellation and controversy surrounding the exam.
04:29This was his third attempt.
04:32That death has now triggered a fierce political face-off.
04:37Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has called it a murder by system.
04:41Asking how many more young lives would be lost before accountability is fixed.
04:46What started as allegations of a paper league
04:49has now snowballed into one of the biggest credibility crises
04:53facing India's examination system.
04:56And for students, the damage goes far beyond postponed or re-examinations.
05:01Even as the government promises reform and strict action,
05:05millions of students are still asking the same question.
05:08If hard work cannot guarantee fairness, then what does?
05:33Because this is no longer just a student's cry for justice.
05:37It is the nation's cry for accountability.
05:40A country cannot afford to fail its brightest young minds again and again.
05:46After all, an examination does not merely test students.
05:50It tests the credibility of the system itself.
05:54And right now, India's education system is staring at its toughest test yet.
05:59With Arvind Oja, Sharad Kumar, Divyesh Singh,
06:02Asta Bharadwaj, India Today.
06:07Joining me on the show tonight, Professor Chandra Bhushan Sharma,
06:10who is an educationist.
06:11We have Diyah Mishra, who is a NEET aspirant of the present batch.
06:16She will be reappearing when the exams happen in June.
06:21Vikram Singh is a security expert.
06:23He is joining me as well.
06:25Before I bring in the experts, I want to understand from you, Diyah,
06:29the concerns.
06:31Okay, we'll get Diyah in a bit.
06:34We'll get Diyah in just a bit.
06:37But, Professor Sharma, this is the need of the hour.
06:43If there is a realization that the entire system is rotten,
06:47then it has to be demolished and a new system established.
06:53That's what you think has been finally done
06:56with the government admitting that the OMR was not working.
07:00Now they have to ensure that the entire system goes online.
07:07Maria, I have a basic question.
07:09You said, finally, as it has been realized, how long will we take to realize?
07:14Absolutely, I agree with you.
07:15You will remember, I am sure, 2024 mug.
07:21And we had discussed this.
07:24I mean, the exam of some centers were canceled, and the Supreme Court gave a judgment.
07:30Now, 2026, we come to know that 2025, the Biswal family, which is involved in this league,
07:40had four children of the family who passed the exam, and they are in medical colleges.
07:45Now, it is apparent that 2025 exam was also fuzzed.
07:51What do we do about that now?
07:53Do we take out those students?
07:55Do we cancel the exam of 2025 as well?
07:58I think it is too late.
08:002026, this happens again.
08:02I believe some of the issues that we need to pinpoint immediately is 2024, it was accepted
08:10that the NTA was created to conduct online exam only.
08:16I don't know, and we have not been able to know why all these years the NTA has been assigned
08:22the job of conducting paper-pencil exam, for which it is just not prepared.
08:27Now, you had a director general at that point of time who was a bureaucrat, a babu, and everything
08:35boiled on to him that he had failed in his duties and he was removed.
08:41We again had another IAS officer managing NTA.
08:45This question has been raised again and again, Maria, that it's not a bureaucratic job.
08:51It's not an office.
08:52It's a process of assessment and evaluation.
08:55You need to understand how a nationwide test is conducted.
09:00You have agencies which have done it well.
09:02Remember those days when one of the IITs used to conduct the JEE exam and you never had a leak.
09:10First.
09:11Second, you had questions which were actually very difficult.
09:16So, when you hand it over to an agency, which is at the helm of affairs, which understands
09:24assessment and evaluation process and knows how to conduct a nationwide exam, so it does
09:30it.
09:31You have created an organization where you have people who have never been at the helm of affairs.
09:38So, are you of the opinion that NTA in itself should be dismantled?
09:43It's a body which doesn't know how to conduct exams because those who are part of the NTA
09:49maybe do not understand the scale of the exams.
09:54Exactly.
09:55Exactly.
09:55We did not create...
09:56I was part of the whole debate in the MHRD at that point of time.
10:01I remember Prakash Javrikarji being the minister.
10:03I was a chairman, taken part in it.
10:05So, I can say with authority, we had not said that it will conduct paper-pencil tests.
10:10It was mandated to conduct only online tests.
10:13Suddenly, it was given the job of conducting paper-pencils.
10:16But, sir, perhaps the new boss is looking at the issue very differently.
10:21He is a very, very capable bureaucrat.
10:25Abhishek Singh.
10:25No, I don't think so.
10:26See, you are a very capable media person.
10:29Now, why don't we make you the minister for, say, water resources?
10:34And this was said by Prime Minister on the floor of the House.
10:45I'm only questioning, I'm not a fit person to be cabinet secretary.
10:50I'm a teacher.
10:51I have done assessment all my life.
10:53I know how to manage exams across the country.
10:55So, give me that job.
10:57Don't make me cabinet secretary.
10:59I won't be able to manage.
11:00Similarly, this is a job of an academic who understands assessment.
11:04I'll give you an example.
11:05I was chairman of an IOS.
11:08I was conducting DLA exam across the country.
11:11And my question in West Bengal was leaked by the treasury of West Bengal.
11:16Now, we went to the court.
11:18I cancelled the West Bengal exam.
11:19The judge asked me, why only Bengal?
11:22Why don't you cancel nationwide?
11:24Then I declared and disclosedтАж
11:2523 lakh students.
11:27We are looking at a huge number, sir.
11:29It's about 23 lakh students.
11:32The future of theirтАж
11:34Their future is at stake.
11:36And one such student is Diyah, who is joining us now.
11:39Diyah, are you then convinced withтАж
11:42Sir, I'm coming to you.
11:43You have to beтАж
11:44You have to give chance to others as well, sir.
11:46Sir, I'll come to you.
11:47Diyah, with the education minister today addressing the press conference,
11:52In the last 48 to 72 hours, there have been very fast-paced developments.
11:57Are you now satisfied with the investigation and this decision that this entire exam will now go online?
12:06Yes, of course.
12:08I derive, as an aspirant, I derive immense satisfaction by the assurance that merit, diligence and integrity shall remain paramount.
12:23You think that integrity is important here?
12:27Vikram Singh, when we look at the investigation, just look at this investigation.
12:30Now, the kingpin has been identified as this chemistry professor sitting in Pune.
12:38I see him as perhaps part of the chain.
12:43The real picture is still not clear.
12:46Is he becoming a fall guy here?
12:49Because of the pace in which the CBI is working, they have to also seem to be working.
12:55That's why eight arrests back-to-back.
12:57But the question is that, you know, I'm looking at it.
13:01So, here is someone who is actually running a coaching institute as well.
13:05Then what was the NTA doing in engaging someone who is actually running a coaching institute?
13:11Maria, good evening.
13:13You have, in fact, hit the nail on the head.
13:15I think it's very good news.
13:17But I do hope it's not too good to be so true.
13:20Indeed, something has to be very, very convincing.
13:23Was it in the public domain that these are the culprits and CBI are judges to name them?
13:28I will tell you one or two things.
13:30Where there is a will, there is a way.
13:32Here, there was neither the will nor the way.
13:34If there were 89 leaks in 10 years, the fault lines were inbuilt and they could have done much better.
13:40But perhaps they had the holding missile to the extent that they go in for the worst practices.
13:45Radha Christian Committee had recommended that you will go in for online.
13:48You will not outsource to shady companies.
13:52And it was, the exam was outsourced to shady companies, blacklisted companies.
13:56I think you were quoting the recipe of disaster.
13:58When I say you, NTA was always quoting the recipe of disaster,
14:03barking up on the wrong trees, backing up the wrong kind of people,
14:06holding those people with questionable backgrounds to do the most sensitive jobs.
14:11And as was, in fact, mandated that the NTA would only do online papers and not offline,
14:18why did they in the first place?
14:20And I think in this case, the head should roll.
14:23They cannot just deviate from the given mandate and just, by the drop of a hat,
14:27shift gears in a manner that is detrimental to the interest of the integrity of the examination
14:32and to the future of the children of which DI is here.
14:34I must compliment DI for me putting up a brave front, but it is easier said than yes.
14:39But a re-examination will always have a trauma and always break the rhythm of the students.
14:4423 lakh students would translate into almost one Karun people.
14:49They have been negatively and adversely impacted.
14:52I had expected a lot from the NTA and the ministry.
14:55But I am looking at the CBI investigation.
14:58Is it really jumping the gun?
15:01Eight arrests in a matter of 48 hours, Vikram Singh.
15:04And then the kingpin has been identified already.
15:09So, isn't it some kind of shortcut in the investigation here?
15:13No, Maria, I wouldn't say that because the entire nation is looking at the investigation
15:18and they would be looking at the investigation and the evidence with a microscope.
15:22The CBI may or may not have taken shortcuts earlier, but this is one case where they dare
15:27not take shortcuts because this will be scrutinized not only by the highest level in the CBI,
15:33but also the court and the media.
15:35And one mistake, and they caught on the wrong foot, well, their reputation as it is needs a lot
15:40of reinforcement. But if this, the bungle of this investigation, I am sure they are finished
15:45for all times to come. Therefore, I would say this is one prime case where they had better
15:49put their best foot forward and put up their case in an infallible manner so that the courts
15:53also cannot raise the finger at the quality of investigation.
15:57Here is someone, a teacher, who has access to papers and he was involved on the behalf
16:07of the National Testing Agency. So he exploited this to leak questions to the students.
16:13That is what has been explained in terms of this role of Professor Kulkarni, who has now
16:19been arrested by the CBI. But Professor Sharma, here is the question.
16:24When it is about the setting of the question papers, I'm sure that Professor Kulkarni is one
16:33among many who are involved in setting of the question papers. And when the question papers
16:38are set, it's not that an individual will have total access to a paper. So perhaps he would propose
16:47a set of questions. The final call would be taken through a system which will be computerized.
16:55A computerized system takes a call. Then how are these questions matching?
16:59Do you think that Professor Kulkarni is one in the chain? Let me repeat that question.
17:05He is one in the chain. There is somebody higher up as well in the NTA who could be involved.
17:14Yes, I don't rule out the possibility of somebody in NTA conniving with it. But then my question
17:23would be when we conduct such an exam, we don't let one person develop more than two questions.
17:32And even those two questions, one would not be sure that it will appear on the question paper.
17:38So if we have to have 120 chemistry items on the question paper, we will have 2,000
17:47similar questions or items and then it will be mixed and matched. Now, how is it definitely that one person
17:56knew all 140 questions? It's like impossible. That means the system that NTA has evolved
18:04is basically faulty. We have done it. We conduct exam. I have conducted exam. And we don't let
18:13any individual set more than two items. One. Two, I have a feeling that it was done by people
18:21who were nobodies. Now, they have no responsibility. When your professors from IT and civil institutions
18:30do it or design questions, they are very conscious of their reputation. When you get it set by people
18:36from nowhere, then they don't mind it. That's actually a very interesting point.
18:39So, Professor Sharma, the kind of people who are involved in setting of the papers, you say,
18:46are nobodies and they do not really care about their reputation. In this particular case,
18:51they have identified Professor Kulkarni who runs a coaching institute also and is involved
18:57in setting of the papers. So, Dia, Mishra, let me give you the last word. As a student,
19:02are you relieved now that the exams will be going online? Or are you of the opinion that
19:08there are several things that you have lost faith in the process?
19:14I go both ways, ma'am. I have, of course, lost faith in the system. But as our Honourable
19:22Education Minister has announced this morning, it has relieved me. For in a world where technology
19:32governs precision and accountability, this reform is both prudent and progressive. For it not only
19:41fortifies the sanctity of the examination process, but also restores the confidence of a genuine
19:50aspirant. In my opinion, what is for appreciation is that the students' apprehensions were not met
20:01with indifference, but with decisive action. So, I am right now relieved and I am in the process of
20:09preparation and revision for the exam set.
20:12Are other aspirants also relieved? As you are saying that, as you said that you feel relieved,
20:21what about others? I am sure you are in touch with many of your batch mates.
20:25Yes, ma'am. All of them are too relieved since they have given us an ample amount of time for
20:32the
20:32revision for the re-meet examination that is scheduled on the 21st of June. And also,
20:39my juniors who are preparing for the next year, they are also very satisfied with the shift towards
20:46computer-based test framework, since it reduces the chances of leaks and cheating to happen again.
20:58Okay. Professor Sharma, Diyamishra and Vikram Singh, really appreciate your time. Thank you
21:03for joining us. We are putting out this debate on our website and also on the YouTube channel.
21:09Thanks so much for watching.
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