Students’ organisation members stage a protest against the National Testing Agency (NTA) over the alleged paper leak concerns following the cancellation of the NEET-UG 2026 examination. File
| Photo Credit: The Hindu
A Pune school principal, arrested in connection with the NEET-UG paper leak case, allegedly shared examination-related questions and content with a few students for monetary benefits, the CBI has told a court in Pune.
The federal agency made the submission while seeking the remand of school principal Manisha Sanjay Havaldar, sources said on Sunday (May 24, 2026).
The Central Bureau of Intelligence (CBI) arrested Ms. Havaldar on Friday (May 22, 2026), calling her another “source” of the alleged paper leak. Ms. Havaldar, the principal of Seth Hiralal Saraf Prashala, worked as an empanelled translator for Physics for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test Undergraduate (NEET UG)-2026.
Following her arrest, she was produced before a court in Pune and is currently in transit remand. She is likely to be produced in a Delhi court on Monday (May 25, 2026).
The CBI informed the Pune court that its investigation into the case showed that Ms. Havaldar, in collusion with botany teacher Manisha Mandhare, now in custody, allegedly shared NEET-related questions and content with a few students in exchange for monetary benefits.
Sources said the CBI told the court that handwritten notes containing NEET-related questions were prepared and retained by Havaldar during her NTA (National Testing Agency) assignment.
The confidential material was allegedly used to convey examination-related content to some students before the NEET UG-2026 exam through WhatsApp and printouts.
Ms. Havaldar admitted to sharing Physics questions from NEET UG-2026, which she had translated or reverse-translated, with one student and with Manisha Mandhare, a botany lecturer from Modern College of Arts and Science in Pune, the sources said.
The probe found that Ms. Havaldar allegedly received ₹20,000 from one student and ₹25,000 from another person, CBI told the court, according to the sources.
Ms. Havaldar allegedly deleted all her chats with Ms. Mandhare and burnt the notes containing the Physics question bank, they added.
On May 12, the National Testing Agency cancelled the NEET-UG held on May 3 for medical admissions following allegations of paper leak. A re-examination has been scheduled for June 21.
The CBI registered its case in the matter on the same day, based on a written complaint by the Department of Higher Education under the Education Ministry.
So far, 11 accused have been arrested in this case from Delhi, Jaipur, Gurugram, Nasik, Pune, Latur and Ahliyanagar, a CBI spokesperson said on Friday (May 22, 2026).
The investigation so far has brought out the actual source of the paper leak, the agency said.
Published – May 25, 2026 10:14 am IST
