India: NEET racket busted in Samastipur; two held, cash seized

Patna: In a major crackdown during the NEET UG 2025 examination, Samastipur Police arrested two individuals on charges of impersonation and examination fraud, officials confirmed on Monday.

The arrested accused have been identified as Dr. Ranjit Kumar, posted in Begusarai jail, and Lal Babu Malik, a resident of Lahariasarai block in Darbhanga district.

Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Sanjay Pandey said that the duo was involved in a scholars-for-hire racket, where original NEET candidates were replaced by impersonators to take the examination on their behalf.

“We observed suspicious activities at an examination centre at Mohanpur on Sunday. Based on the surveillance, we apprehended the suspects and seized their mobile phones,” Pandey said.

He added that upon investigation, police found Multiple NEET admit cards stored on their phones, apart from a car used in the operation and Rs 50 thousand in cash, believed to be part of the deal with the candidates.

“They confessed to charging between Rs 2 to Rs 5 lakh per candidate in exchange for providing a scholar to give the exam,” he added.

ASP Pandey said that the police are now in the process of verifying the admit cards recovered from the mobile phones and identifying the original candidates linked to this racket.

The district police are establishing the extent of the impersonation network and potential beneficiaries.

ASP Pandey clarified that there was no evidence of the question paper leak in Samastipur, and the case is currently limited to impersonation.

The NEET UG 2025 exam, held on Sunday, saw participation from over 1.25 lakh candidates in Bihar alone. A three-layered security system was implemented across all centres.

The administration also installed mobile jammers to block unauthorised communications. The candidates were only allowed to carry admit cards, pens, and transparent water bottles and no mobile phones, Bluetooth devices, or other electronics. The same rules applied to invigilators.

Meanwhile, the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) has arrested three individuals in Noida for allegedly running a racket to rig the NEET UG and other competitive exams. The accused were reportedly demanding money from the relatives of candidates in exchange for helping them pass the exam.

According to officials, during an intelligence operation on May 3, the STF Noida unit received a tip-off that certain individuals were soliciting bribes from families of students appearing in the NEET UG exam scheduled for May 4. Acting swiftly, the STF raided a premises located in Sector-3, Noida, under the jurisdiction of Police Station Phase-1, and apprehended three suspects.

The arrested individuals have been identified as Vikram Kumar Sah, Dharmpal Singh, and Aniket Kumar. Investigations are underway to determine the extent of the racket and whether more individuals are involved.

Meanwhile, the NEET UG 2025 examination was successfully conducted on May 4 across 548 cities in India and 14 international centres. According to sources from the Ministry of Education, over 20.8 lakh candidates appeared for the exam. The process was reported to have been smooth, with only minor issues such as late arrivals and confusion over dress codes.

“No violations or use of unfair means have been reported so far,” the source confirmed.

The National Testing Agency (NTA), which oversees the conduct of NEET UG, implemented a coordinated “whole-of-government” approach to ensure the exam’s integrity. A Centralised Control Room was set up under the Ministry of Education, involving officials from the Ministries of Health and Family Welfare, Home Affairs, Defence, and Electronics & IT (MeitY).

District administrations and police forces across the country worked closely with nodal Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) for real-time monitoring. On May 3, mock drills were conducted at all 5,453 centres to test biometric verification systems, mobile signal jammers, frisking arrangements, and logistical preparedness.