NEET-2025 under scanner as five Rajasthan ‘average academic’ siblings clear exam

Jaipur: Was the NEET-UG 2025 examination really free and fair? Did a paper leak racket continue operating even after last year’s controversy? And how did five academically average siblings suddenly secure admissions to government medical colleges within a year? These are the troubling questions now emerging from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the alleged NEET paper leak network, where startling revelations have surfaced during the questioning of accused persons currently in custody.

According to sources linked to the investigation, Jaipur’s Vikas Biwal, arrested in the NEET-UG 2026 examination paper leak case, had allegedly purchased the NEET-UG 2025 question paper as well for Rs 25 lakh.

Investigators claim the examination paper was arranged by Gurugram resident Yash Yadav, who is also accused of supplying this year’s examination paper.

Both are currently in CBI custody. The alleged deal did not benefit Vikas alone.

Sources say Vikas, his sister Pragati, and cousins Saniya, Gunjan, and Palak collectively studied the leaked question paper before the examination and all five eventually secured admission to government medical colleges despite weak academic records and average mock test performances.

CBI sources indicate that Vikas’s father Mangilal Biwal and uncle Dinesh Biwal were actively involved in arranging payments and coordinating the paper deal both last year and this year.

All four accused have now been arrested.

Investigations also revealed that Yash and Vikas had studied together at a NEET coaching institute in Rajasthan’s Sikar, where they developed close ties.

Nearly a month before the May 4, 2025, examination, Yash allegedly informed Vikas that he could arrange the question paper in advance.

After discussions with family members, the deal was finalised at Rs 25 lakh.

Sources claim the question paper was handed over three days before the exam, following which all five siblings prepared together by memorising the questions and answers.

The dramatic jump in their exam performance has now become a major focus of the probe.

Vikas, who had secured only 270 out of 720 in NEET-UG 2024 exam and maintained an average mock test score of around 384, later secured admission to the Government Medical College in Sawai Madhopur. His Class 12 score was only 55 per cent.

Pragati had managed to secure just 332 marks in NEET-UG 2024 exam, while her coaching test averages hovered near 300. Yet she later secured admission to the Government Medical College in Dausa.

Gunjan, whose mock test scores reportedly ranged between 320 and 342, also obtained a government medical seat after securing a much higher percentile in the subsequent attempt.

Saniya, too, had shown only average performance in both NEET-2024 and coaching tests, but eventually gained admission to a government college after her percentile jumped sharply.

Among the siblings, Palak had comparatively better academic performance, securing 512 marks in NEET-UG 2024 and later obtaining a 98.61 percentile before securing admission to a government medical college in Jaipur.

Investigators are also examining allegations that this year the family attempted to procure the NEET paper for another relative, Rishi Biwal, who had reportedly passed Class 12 with grace marks and scored only 50 per cent overall.

Sources believe that had the alleged leak network not been exposed, he too may have secured a high rank.

Meanwhile, the CBI on Thursday had produced accused Shubham Khairnar, Yash Yadav, Mangilal Biwal, Vikas Biwal, and Dinesh Biwal before a Delhi court, which remanded them to seven days of CBI custody.

The agency simultaneously conducted raids at Dinesh Biwal’s residence and farmhouse in Jamwaramgarh, where investigators reportedly recovered suspicious banking records, NEET-related documents, passbooks, cheque books, ATM cards, and papers indicating transactions worth crores of rupees.

Sources said the CBI is now probing whether proceeds from the alleged paper leak racket were invested in luxury vehicles, land, and other assets recovered during the searches.

IANS