The latest allegations come at a time when the NEET-UG paper leak had triggered a major political storm and forced govt to promise stricter safeguards in high-stakes exams
New Delhi: An organised examination racket is operating across several states, according to Haryana-based advocate and student leader Deepak Dhankhar, who claims the UGC-NET Sociology question paper was circulated to candidates just hours before the exam, with students reportedly cramming from the leaked material overnight.In an exclusive interview, Dhankhar said the investigation started almost by accident. One of his associates was approached by people claiming to have access to exam papers, and at first, the group assumed it was a scam.“We thought it was a cheating racket trying to dupe candidates,” Dhankhar said. “But then we realised this could be an opportunity to expose them.”The alleged operators kept in touch with his associate, insisting they could arrange papers for various exams. Dhankhar says he now has phone numbers, names and financial details tied to these individuals.The first paper the group handed over turned out to be fake. “Not a single question matched. We thought it was just a gang extorting money from students,” Dhankhar recalled. But the network didn’t disappear, instead, it doubled down, claiming it had access to the real paper through a longer chain of contacts, and set up another round of “preparation” sessions for candidates.That’s where things escalated. The most serious allegation concerns the Sociology paper held on June 30. During a late-night session, Dhankhar says his associate spotted a pen drive with what looked like exam material on it.“The Sociology PDF was open on their laptop. Taking advantage of a brief opportunity, my associate forwarded the file and immediately deleted the trace. They never realised the paper had reached us,” he said.Candidates who sat the exam the next day told him the questions matched almost exactly what they’d studied the night before. One student, he says, walked out of the hall and told him bluntly: “These were the exact questions. They matched completely.”Dhankhar alleges the operation isn’t confined to Haryana, the same people claimed to have active teams in Rajasthan, Delhi, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. “If they can bring original papers, it shows how extensive the network is,” he said.He’s also frustrated with the response, or lack of one, from authorities. “Every investigating agency has had my contact details for years. Nobody approached me to collect evidence. Instead, there appears to be pressure to ensure this issue does not reach the public,” he alleged.The claims picked up national attention after Lok Sabha opposition leader Rahul Gandhi referenced them in a social media post. So far, neither the National Testing Agency nor law enforcement has confirmed anything publicly, and no official probe has established that the paper was actually leaked.For now, the allegations remain just that, allegations. But they’ve put exam security, and the durability of paper-leak networks in India, back in the spotlight.