CBI Uncovers NEET-UG 2025 Scam: Maharashtra Doctor, NTA Officials Implicated in Mark Manipulation

The scandal has cast a shadow over the NEET-UG 2025 exam, conducted on May 4, 2025, for over 2.2 million aspirants vying for 110,000 medical seats.

A shocking scandal has rocked the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET-UG) 2025, with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) exposing an alleged mark manipulation racket involving a Maharashtra-based doctor and suspected National Testing Agency (NTA) insiders.

The controversy, which threatens the integrity of India’s premier medical entrance exam, has sparked outrage among students and parents, with hashtags like #NEETScam and #NEETUGResult trending across social media platforms. As 2.2 million candidates await clarity on their medical admissions, the allegations have reignited demands for transparency and accountability in the NEET-UG process.

NEET-UG 2025 Manipulation Allegations Surface

The CBI has registered a case against Dr. Sandeep Jawahar Shah, a Solapur-based doctor, and unnamed NTA officials for allegedly orchestrating a scheme to manipulate NEET-UG 2025 marks. The racket targeted low-scoring candidates, promising to boost their scores for admission to prestigious government medical colleges in exchange for bribes up to ₹87.5 lakh.

Dr. Shah, director of Indi Biosearch and Ratnadeep Dental Lab, and his accomplice, Salim Khubuddin Patel from Navi Mumbai, allegedly lured parents with assurances of delivering upgraded scores hours before the official result announcement on June 14, 2025. The CBI’s sting operation on June 9, 2025, caught Shah red-handed, revealing a sophisticated network involving WhatsApp chats, NEET roll numbers, OMR sheets, and Hawala transactions.

NEET-UG 2025 Integrity Under Fire

The scandal has cast a shadow over the NEET-UG 2025 exam, conducted on May 4, 2025, for over 2.2 million aspirants vying for 110,000 medical seats. The CBI seized evidence, including mobile phones with incriminating chats and records of ₹32.5 lakh in cash and ₹75 lakh via Hawala payments. While initial allegations pointed to NTA insider collusion, the CBI later clarified no direct evidence links agency officials to the scam, with the accused falsely claiming NTA connections to deceive parents.

However, the mere suggestion of corruption within the NTA has fueled distrust, with students questioning the fairness of the NEET-UG results and the allocation of government college seats, which offer affordable education compared to private institutions.

NEET-UG 2025 Public Outrage Grows

Public sentiment on social media platforms is one of fury, with #NEETisnotNEAT and #BJPkaNEETScam trending as students and parents demand a Supreme Court-led investigation. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin called the scandal a “moral corruption,” amplifying calls to abolish NEET-UG and restore state-level medical admissions. Students, particularly from underprivileged backgrounds, fear their hard-earned ranks are being undermined by such rackets.

The CBI’s arrests of Shah and Patel on June 9 and 10, respectively, and their subsequent bail on June 21, 2025, due to lack of recovered bribe money, have only intensified demands for stricter oversight and accountability in the NEET-UG process.

NEET-UG 2025 Systemic Reforms Urged

This controversy follows the 2024 NEET-UG scandal involving paper leaks, highlighting persistent vulnerabilities in India’s examination system. The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, aimed to curb such malpractices, but its effectiveness is now under scrutiny. The CBI continues to probe potential links to broader exam fraud networks, with a third accused still at large.

As the NTA defends its processes, education activists are pushing for an independent audit of the agency and stronger cybersecurity measures to safeguard NEET-UG’s integrity. With the futures of millions of medical aspirants at stake, the call for systemic reform grows louder, ensuring the NEET-UG exam remains a fair gateway to India’s medical education.