Pune Teacher Arrested in NEET-UG Biology Paper Leak Case

May 16, 2026

75 min

May 16, 2026 11:31

NEET-UG leak case: Pune teacher arrested over Biology paper leak

## Arrest in NEET-UG Paper Leak

A botany teacher from Pune, Manisha Gurunath Mandhare, has been arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with the NEET-UG Biology paper leak. This arrest brings the total number of individuals detained in the case to nine. Mandhare, who was appointed as an expert by the National Testing Agency (NTA), was taken into custody in Delhi.

## Allegations and Investigation

Investigators allege that Mandhare shared key Botany and Zoology questions with NEET candidates during coaching sessions at her home. These questions reportedly matched those in the NEET-UG exam held on May 3. The CBI has conducted searches in six locations across India, seizing digital evidence such as laptops and mobile phones. The investigation has uncovered connections to a broader network involving middlemen and candidates in several states.

## Wider Implications

The CBI previously arrested PV Kulkarni, a chemistry lecturer, who is suspected of being the mastermind behind the leak. He allegedly accessed question papers and conducted sessions where he dictated questions and answers to students. A petition has been filed in the Supreme Court challenging the NTA's framework, calling for a statutory body to oversee the exam process due to repeated breaches.

## Future Measures

In response to the leak, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan announced that NEET exams will transition to a computer-based format from next year. Meanwhile, a re-examination is scheduled for June 21, 2026, in pen-and-paper mode, with details to be released by June 14.

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