Hundreds of thousands of Indian medical school aspirants are reeling after the cancellation of the NEET-UG 2026 exam, following allegations of a paper leak. Students in Tamil Nadu expressed deep frustration, with uncertainty around new dates and procedures adding to anxiety that has already derailed months of preparation.
The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the student wing of the ruling BJP, has demanded an impartial investigation by central agencies and action against “examination mafias.” The student body also urged the National Testing Agency to ensure transparency — a striking call from an organization politically aligned with the central government. The NEET scandal is becoming a recurring national embarrassment, echoing the controversies that rocked the 2024 exam cycle.
Adding to India’s economic unease, markets saw a broad-based rout, with 2,750 stocks declining on the Nifty 50 against just 590 advancing, even as Prime Minister Modi signaled “crisis readiness.”
