Bihar Police have successfully dismantled a large-scale impersonation racket targeting the highly competitive NEET-UG re-test, arresting 24 individuals in Lakhisarai district. The sophisticated network allegedly arranged "solvers" – often medical and nursing students – to take the critical medical entrance examination on behalf of registered candidates.
The arrests, which include several medical students and employees linked to the examination process, have once again cast a shadow over the integrity of India's national medical entrance examinations, especially after the original NEET-UG examination was scrapped due to a widespread paper leak controversy.
Masterminds and Accomplices Uncovered
Investigators believe medical student Arpit Raj, from ANM Medical College and Hospital in Gaya, was a key mastermind behind the operation. Raj had previously faced questioning by the CBI in connection with the 2024 NEET paper leak case. Another significant arrest was Mayank Kashyap, a third-year MBBS student at Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH).
Beyond the masterminds, the police also apprehended 14 employees of the biometric company responsible for examination logistics, highlighting potential insider involvement. The probe revealed a nationwide reach, with students from various institutions implicated.
- Poonam Kumari, a nursing student from Banaras Hindu University, was reportedly caught impersonating another candidate.
- Saurabh Jha, a student at AIIMS Rae Bareli, was also among those arrested.
- Aman Agarwal, an intern at Shahdara Medical College in Delhi, was taken into custody.
- Nalanda Medical College and Hospital nursing student Sanjeet and his brother were also arrested, indicating family involvement in some instances.
How the Proxy Exam Gang Was Busted
The investigation commenced when Mayank Kashyap was detained at the Hasanpur High School examination center. He had allegedly entered the premises posing as an employee of the biometric company. His arrest triggered a series of raids by police at KRK Higher Secondary School and Kendriya Vidyalaya in Lakhisarai. These raids led to the arrests of seven candidates and numerous other individuals suspected of being part of the scheme.
According to police, the gang's strategy was to exploit insider access to replace genuine candidates with their highly trained "solvers," effectively mimicking the plot of the popular Indian film "Munna Bhai MBBS" where a protagonist fakes his medical degree.
Concerns Over Monitoring Measures
The arrests have raised serious questions regarding the monitoring protocols at medical colleges. Many institutions had issued strict directives for students not to leave campus during the NEET examination period. Colleges like PMCH even organized seminars and quizzes as a means of monitoring student presence.
However, some arrested students, including Mayank Kashyap, were reportedly absent from these activities. Kashyap allegedly left his college citing illness before his subsequent arrest in Lakhisarai, exposing loopholes in the institutional oversight.
Ongoing Investigation into Widespread Network
Bihar Police are continuing their efforts to map the full extent of this alleged network. They aim to identify all involved parties and determine if any other attempts were made to compromise the NEET-UG re-test. This incident underscores the persistent challenges authorities face in safeguarding the integrity of high-stakes entrance examinations against organized cheating operations.