NEET-UG paper leak case: Maharashtra school suspends arrested teacher, vows support to CBI probe

A school in Maharashtrarsquos Pimpri Chinchwad has suspended a senior Physics lecturer following her arrest in connection with the NEETUG paper leak case as investigations into the alleged examination irregularities continue across multiple states reported ANISeth Hiralal Saraswati Prashala announced immediate action against lecturer Manisha Sanjay Havaldar after her arrest and said it would fully cooperate with the ongoing probe being conducted by central agencies reported ANISchool forms internal inquiry committeeThe school administration said an internal inquiry committee has also been constituted to examine the matter and review all related aspectsDr Satish Gawli Secretary of Seth Hiralal Saraswati Prashala said the institution acted immediately after learning about the arrestldquoAs soon as we came to know about the arrest we suspended her and appointed an inquiry committee We do not support any such activity because it directly affects the future of studentsrdquo he saidThe school management described the allegations as serious and said the institution had maintained a clean academic record until nowSchool says incident has shocked institutionDr Gawli said the alleged involvement of a faculty member in the paper leak case came as a major shock to the institutionHe stated that no similar incident had previously been reported at the school or college and termed the development a setback for the institutionrsquos reputationThe administration also said it had no prior knowledge of the alleged activities linked to the examination caseAccording to school officials Havaldar has been associated with the institution for more than three decades and was nearing retirementLecturer served institution since 1992School authorities said Havaldar joined the institution in 1992 as a Physics lecturer and holds MSc and BEd qualificationsOfficials added that she was scheduled to retire on June 30 2026Dr Gawli said the management was unaware of any alleged involvement in examinationrelated irregularities and maintained that the institution had no connection with the activities under investigationThe school also stated that it would extend complete cooperation to investigating agencies including the Central Bureau of Investigation CBI which is probing the wider NEETUG paper leak caseAuthorities tighten security for NEET reexaminationMeanwhile authorities have intensified efforts to strengthen the examination process following the controversy surrounding the NEETUG examinationThe Union Education Ministry has ordered stricter security measures for the reexamination scheduled to be held on June 21Officials have also indicated that the NEETUG examination may shift to a computerbased test CBT format from next year in an effort to reduce the risk of paper leaks and examination malpracticeNTA opens refund facility for candidatesThe National Testing Agency NTA has also activated a dedicated facility on the NEETUG 2026 registration portal for eligible candidates to submit their bank account details for examination fee refundsAccording to the agency candidates can access the refund link by logging into the official portal using their credentialsThe NTA has set May 27 2026 till 1150 pm as the deadline for submission of bank account detailsOfficials said the refund process is part of measures being undertaken after the controversy surrounding the examination and subsequent administrative decisions linked to the probeWith inputs from PTI