Akshay Krishn
NEW DELHI / PUNE — In a major breakthrough in the sweeping NEET-UG 2026 examination scam, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Saturday arrested a senior biology teacher from Pune. The accused, identified as Manisha Gurunath Mandhare, was taken into custody in Delhi following an extensive interrogation at the agency’s headquarters.
Investigators have termed Mandhare a “key mastermind” who allegedly leaked the Botany and Zoology portions of the medical entrance examination, marking the ninth arrest in a rapidly expanding multi-city crackdown.
The Insider Access: NTA Connection
Mandhare, a permanent government-aided lecturer, had been teaching biology to Classes 11 and 12 at Pune’s reputed Modern College of Arts, Science and Commerce (Junior College) since September 2002.
According to the CBI, Mandhare had been actively associated with the National Testing Agency (NTA) for the past 6 to 7 years as a subject expert. Due to this role, she was part of confidential committees involved in the paper-setting process, granting her direct and early access to the confidential question banks for the exam held on May 3.
Dr. Nivedita Ekbote, Principal of Modern College, expressed absolute shock over the arrest, stating:
“The NTA directly interacted with her because of the strict confidentiality clause guidelines. We never came to know when she visited the NTA or what assignments she undertook. She was a senior teacher slated to retire in just seven months, and we never had any issues with her. The college management will immediately initiate her suspension pending the inquiry.”
Modus Operandi: The “Special” Home Coaching
The CBI’s probe revealed a well-organized syndicate operating right out of Pune. Mandhare allegedly partnered with a local beauty parlor owner, Manisha Waghmare, who was arrested by the agency on May 14.
- Student Mobilization: In April 2026, weeks before the examination, Waghmare allegedly helped mobilize a select group of prospective NEET aspirants.
- The Leak Sessions: Mandhare then conducted “special coaching classes” at her residence in the Ganga Osian Park society in Pune. During these sessions, she dictated the precise Botany and Zoology questions along with their exact multiple-choice options and correct answers.
- The Evidence: Investigators revealed that handwritten notes seized from the notebooks of participating students exactly tallied with the actual Biology questions that appeared in the final NEET-UG exam. Mandhare and her associates reportedly charged families lakhs of rupees per student for access to these sessions.
A Component of a Larger Blueprint
Mandhare’s arrest came exactly 24 hours after the CBI nabbed another major suspect, P.V. Kulkarni, a retired chemistry professor from Latur who had also relocated to Pune.
The CBI told a Delhi court on Saturday that Kulkarni was the primary “source” of the leaked Chemistry portion. The agency’s prosecution team, led by public prosecutor Neetu Singh, detailed a clear chain of distribution:
- Kulkarni allegedly leaked the Chemistry questions to Manisha Waghmare.
- Waghmare passed the material to a middleman named Dhananjay Lokhande.
- Lokhande transferred it to Shubham Khairnar (the first suspect arrested in the case), who subsequently converted the exam into a PDF format and sent it to a recipient named Yash Yadav in Gurgaon.
The CBI has informed the court that a massive “guess paper” consisting of 150 pages and 410 questions was actively circulated to compromised students weeks before the exam. Out of those, nearly 120 questions appeared identically in the official chemistry and biology sections. The agency has moved a request for 14-day custody of the key accused to map out the network further, hinting that a third insider responsible for the Physics section is currently being hunted.
Current Status of NEET-UG 2026
The National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET-UG) was administered on May 3 across 551 domestic and 14 international centers, with over 22.7 lakh aspirants appearing for the high-stakes test. Following initial tip-offs received on May 7 and subsequent findings by the CBI proving a systematic compromise, the Ministry of Education officially cancelled the NEET-UG 2026 exam on May 12.
To protect the academic interests of honest students, the NTA has announced a nationwide re-examination scheduled for June 21, 2026.
