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The National Testing Agency (NTA) has issued a fresh warning to students appearing for the NEET UG 2026 re-examination and their parents, asking them not to fall for Telegram scams claiming to provide leaked question papers.In a video message released on June 16, NTA said it had found two major types of fraud targeting candidates ahead of the June 21 exam. According to the agency, several Telegram channels have been demanding payments ranging from a few thousand rupees to several lakhs, claiming they can provide the re-exam question paper. NTA said all such claims have been verified and found to be fake.The agency said scammers often ask for payments through UPI, cryptocurrency and other methods while promising refunds if the paper does not match. However, NTA stressed that nobody outside the official system has access to the question paper. It said extensive security measures have been put in place for preparing, printing and transporting the exam papers, with support from government agencies and security forces.“Anyone claiming to sell you any paper is lying, is trying to scam you, is trying to fool you, is trying to exploit your vulnerability,” the agency said in the video. It added that no version of the question paper would be available outside the secure chain before 2 pm on June 21.NTA also explained another method allegedly being used by fraudsters. According to the agency, some Telegram channels circulate screenshots and videos that appear to show question papers being shared before an exam. These are then used as proof to convince students that the channel has access to leaked papers.The agency said it investigated one such claim after the May 3 NEET exam. A video circulating online showed a question paper allegedly posted on a Telegram channel on May 1, two days before the exam. NTA said it traced the paper through its unique identifier and found that it had actually been issued to a candidate at a government school in Anantnag, Jammu and Kashmir, during the exam on May 3 under official supervision.After examining the case, NTA concluded that the Telegram chat had been fabricated. It claimed that channel administrators can edit old messages and replace files or videos while the original timestamp remains unchanged. According to the agency, this makes it appear as though a document was shared before the exam when it was actually uploaded later.NTA said similar instances had been observed in other examinations, including JEE Advanced and IISER entrance tests. It added that IIT Madras Director V. Kamakoti had explained the technical aspect of the issue in separate videos shared by the agency.The agency said the recent action against Telegram was aimed at stopping these activities before and after the NEET re-exam. It urged candidates to focus on revision instead of rumours and advised parents to protect students from financial fraud and panic.“Your preparation is what will get you through this examination, not a telegram channel, not a fake question paper, not anything,” it said.
