NEET-UG paper leak: President Droupadi Murmu says 'Govt will investigate, guilty will be punished'

Murmu said this during his address to the joint session of Parliament.

She said, "The government is committed to give the youth opportunities to prove their talent, be it government admission or examination. The hindrance to it is not acceptable."

"The government is committed to proper investigation into the recent paper leak incidents and serves strict punishment to the culprits. Even before we have witnessed incidents of paper leaks in several states. We have to rise above party politics on this," the President added.

Meanwhile, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday carried out the first arrests in the NEET-UG paper leak case in Bihar, detaining two accused from Patna named Manish Kumar and Ashutosh.

According to CBI sources, Manish Kumar allegedly transported students in his car and arranged accommodation for about two dozen students implicated in the scandal, while Ashutosh is accused of providing lodging for the students at his home, reported NDTV.

The controversy arose when 67 students achieved perfect scores of 720 in the NEET-UG exam.

The National Testing Agency (NTA) said this happened as some candidates were awarded grace marks due to a faulty question and logistical delays in paper distribution at some centers.

However, a Bihar Police investigation revealed that the exam paper had been leaked to a select group of candidates.

The NEET-UG exam, taken by nearly 24 lakh aspiring medical students, was held on May 5, and the results were released on June 4.

Despite the NTA's efforts to manage the situation, allegations of a widespread leak continued with protests and legal actions nationwide.

The Supreme Court also got involved, slamming the NTA for its handling of the issue.