Itanagar, May 13: The All Arunachal Pradesh Students' Union (AAPSU) has strongly condemned the alleged NEET-UG 2026 paper leak, terming it a “systemic betrayal” of lakhs of medical aspirants across the country and demanding immediate accountability, structural reforms in the National Testing Agency (NTA), and expansion of examination centres in Arunachal Pradesh.
In a press release issued on Wednesday, AAPSU president Meje Taku stated that the controversy was far more serious than a mere administrative lapse.
“The NEET-UG examination is the sole entrance gateway for medical and dental undergraduate courses in India. Compromise of such an examination strikes at the very foundation of meritocracy and public trust in national institutions,” he said.
The NTA cancelled the May 3 examination following allegations that a document containing nearly 410 questions had circulated on WhatsApp groups weeks before the examination, with around 120 Chemistry questions allegedly matching the actual paper. The cancellation has affected over 22.79 lakh registered candidates nationwide.
AAPSU stated that the recurrence of alleged paper leaks, following a similar controversy in NEET-UG 2024, points to deeper structural failures within the examination system rather than isolated misconduct.
It demanded that the Central Bureau of Investigation complete its investigation within a publicly declared timeline and ensure exemplary punishment for all individuals, coaching centres, syndicates, and institutional insiders found involved.
Taku also urged the Union Education Minister to make a statement in Parliament and place a concrete reform roadmap for the NTA, including independent audits, multi-layered digital and physical security systems, and mandatory third-party verification of examination processes.
On the issue of re-examination, AAPSU maintained that conducting the test again without implementing structural reforms would amount to repeating a flawed process. The union demanded that all security overhauls be completed and independently verified before announcing fresh examination dates.
AAPSU further sought financial reimbursement for students who travelled to examination centres and appeared for the now-cancelled examination, particularly candidates from Arunachal Pradesh who often undertake long and expensive journeys to reach centres.
Highlighting the geographical challenges of the State, AAPSU noted that Arunachal Pradesh, spread across mountainous terrain and limited transport connectivity, had only four designated NEET centres this year — Itanagar/Naharlagun, Basar, Namsai and Pasighat.
Students from remote districts such as Tawang, Anjaw, Dibang Valley, Longding and Tirap reportedly travel for days to appear in the examination, bearing heavy financial and physical burdens that may adversely affect their performance.
AAPSU demanded that the NTA establish additional examination centres across major district headquarters, including Bomdila, Tawang, Tezu, Ziro, Aalo, Changlang, Deomali and Roing.
The union asserted that the issue of inadequate examination centres in Northeastern and hill states reflects structural discrimination and called for a policy-level assurance guaranteeing in-state examination centres for geographically challenging states like Arunachal Pradesh.
AAPSU stated that it would continue pursuing representations before the Ministry of Education and mobilising student opinion until its demands are addressed.