UGC-NET 2026 Paper Leak Alleged; Student Leaders Claim They Have 'Proof'
- 22 hours ago
- 3 min read
While activist Sonam Wangchuk is on a hunger strike at Delhi's iconic Jantar Mantar over the alleged paper leaks in India, fresh allegations have emerged claiming that certain question papers for the NTA-conducted UGC-NET 2026 examination had already been leaked.
By Pranjal Gupta
The controversy surrounding the brazen paper leak has added another chapter to its 2026 edition, strengthening demands for Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan to accept responsibility. Two student leaders in Haryana's Rohtak have claimed that question papers for certain subjects in the UGC-NET 2026 examination, scheduled for June 29 and 30 by the National Testing Agency (NTA), had already been accessed by scammers, who also offered them early access.
In a self-recorded video, student leaders Deepak Dhankhar and Ankit Phogat displayed the contents of an alleged Sociology question paper, claiming that candidates were taught two sets of questions, one of which matched the actual examination paper. They said the material they have made public should be officially compared with the original NTA question paper and called for an independent digital forensic investigation.
How They Tracked It
Dhankhar said the scammers first approached Ankit, claiming they could provide the question papers before the examination. Curious to verify the claim, the duo said they continued communicating with the scammers to determine whether the papers were genuine.
Initially, some of the papers did not match the examination. However, the suspects later returned, claiming they had changed their source and that the papers for the next examination would be accurate.
The Sociology examination was held on June 30. On the night of June 29, candidates preparing for the UGC-NET examination were allegedly taught two sets of questions provided by the scammers. According to Deepak and Ankit, they later contacted candidates who appeared for the examination and found that one of the 100-question sets matched the actual paper exactly.
The student leaders also claimed that the papers carried signatures that appeared authentic. Dhankhar said he did not know who the signatures belonged to, but maintained that an investigation should determine who leaked the papers.
He further claimed that the papers were circulated in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Delhi.
Paper Sold at Rs 2.25 Lakh, Had Access to Other Exams
According to the student leaders, the paper was sold for Rs 2.25 lakh. They alleged that the network also promised to provide question papers in advance for the HTET, ADA and other examinations conducted by CSIR Haryana after the UGC-NET. The group allegedly demanded Rs 2.25 lakh per candidate, along with additional expenses, in exchange for providing coaching based on the leaked papers.
Family Questioned by CIA
Deepak Dhankhar alleged that the police and the CIA questioned him and several of his associates. He said only three or four of his associates were aware of the operation, while no one in his family knew anything about it. According to him, his brother, who is a government doctor, his father-in-law and other relatives had no knowledge of the incident. Despite this, he alleged that his family was harassed by the police.
Dhankhar demanded that the government and investigating agencies carry out forensic examinations of the phone records, banking transactions, payment trails, pen drives, laptops and other digital devices of those who allegedly supplied the question papers.
He also urged authorities to immediately secure and examine the access logs of the relevant NTA systems to determine where the question paper was created, who accessed it, when the file was opened, and whether any external storage devices were used.
Protest at Jantar Mantar Against Paper Leak
At Delhi's Jantar Mantar, activist Sonam Wangchuk joined the ongoing student-led protest against alleged paper leak in India. Wangchuk announced a hunger strike, and today marks the 11th day of his fast.
The protest sparked due to alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG 2026 (National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test). Wangchuk joined the protests alongside student groups like AISA and the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), demanding immediate resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan.