How A Rajasthan Teacher’s Wit Uncovered NEET Paper Leak Scam

Churu: Shashikant Suthar, a chemistry teacher at a coaching institute in Sikar, Rajasthan, gained the spotlight after the NEET paper leak, as some people are hailing him as a “whistleblower” on social media.

Speaking to ETV Bharat, Suthar shared the sequence of events which prompted him to come forward and register a complaint over the NEET exam held on May 3. “After the exam, my landlord showed me a viral copy of the paper circulating on WhatsApp. I cross-checked and found nearly 45 chemistry questions matched exactly,” he said.

At first, Suthar couldn’t believe the paper leak theory, but when he showed the paper to his biology faculty colleague, they found nearly 90 matching questions. “I immediately realised the seriousness of the situation and knew inaction would be a grave injustice to lakhs of hard-working students,” he said.

‘Police demanded evidence'

Suthar said that after finding matching questions in both chemistry and biology papers, he went to the Udyog Nagar Police Station in Sikar to file a complaint, where the police asked him to file a formal written complaint and get concrete evidence.

“Over the next four days, I gathered the viral PDF files, screenshots, and other digital evidence and filed the complaint. My landlord also provided a major during this process, as he was the first who received a copy of the viral paper,” he said. “My landlord also encouraged me to file a complaint. Had he not encouraged me, I might not have been able to muster the courage to undertake such a monumental initiative.”

Complaint and initial apprehensions

Suthar said that on May 7, he sent detailed information regarding the matter to the Ministry of Education and the National Testing Agency (NTA) via email as well. “Within a few hours of sending the complaint, he began receiving calls from officials at the NTA and the Central Bureau of Investigation,” he added.

The next day, a team from the Ministry of Home Affairs arrived in Sikar and conducted a detailed interrogation. Subsequently, the Rajasthan Special Operations Group (SOG) and the local police also questioned Suthar to gather information.

Suthar admitted that he was afraid and apprehensive in the beginning, thinking that the “paper leak mafia” might retaliate against him. He was also deeply concerned about the safety and security of his family.

“After standing up against such a massive network, my family feared repercussions. However, the CBI and the Rajasthan SOG extended their full cooperation and assured them of their safety,” he said.

Investigation and growing questions

Following the revelation of the case, NTA officials contacted the family via telephone and requested that they share the information at their disposal. Subsequently, officials from the Rajasthan SOG and the CBI also met them in person as well.

Amid the NEET paper leak controversy and fearful aftermath, Sathur gained popularity, with several individuals lauding him as a brave whistleblower, as he did not merely allege a paper leak but also raised fundamental questions regarding the examination system itself.

Sathur argued that the Computer-Based Test (CBT) mode alone cannot be considered entirely secure. “The NEET examination should be conducted in two phases, similar to the engineering entrance exams, as this could help prevent large-scale irregularities,” he said.

The CBI and other investigative agencies are currently conducting probes across several states, including Rajasthan, Bihar, Haryana, and Maharashtra. To date, at least 10 individuals have been arrested in connection with this case.

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