3 min readNew DelhiUpdated: Aug 7, 2026 05:35 AM IST
The CBI probe into the NEET (UG) paper leak has found that three subject experts took exam questions out of the National Testing Agency (NTA) office in Delhi using different methods — one scrawled questions on paper chits before hiding them while two others memorised the questions, returned to their hotel rooms to either write them down or mark the relevant paragraphs in NCERT textbooks.
And, according to the CBI, they could do this because they were not frisked while exiting the “confidential section”, a wing situated on the first floor of the NTA office, which also lacked a dedicated CCTV live feed monitoring control room.
The three subject experts, among 13 named in a chargesheet filed on July 28 before a Delhi fast-track court, have been identified by the CBI as NTA Biology expert Manisha Mandhare, NTA Chemistry expert Pralhad Vithalrao Kulkarni, NTA Physics expert Manisha Sanjay Havaldar.
According to the CBI, the three subject experts were handed plain paper sheets inside the NTA “confidential section” for translation rough work.
Kulkarni, the CBI probe found, used the sheets to make small chits. He allegedly scrawled all 135 Chemistry questions in brief along with the answer options.
He organised special coaching classes with the help of co-accused Manisha Waghmare and dictated the questions to the students along with the options and the correct answers, the probe found.
Kulkarni did back translation for three sets of questions (135 in total) from March 31 to April 2 this year.
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Mandhare, the English to Marathi translator for Botany and back translator for Zoology, would return to her hotel room and mark the relevant paragraphs in NCERT textbooks, according to the CBI. She too conducted special coaching classes for students at her Pune residence, the probe found.
According to the CBI, Havaldar, who had the task of back translation for Physics and proof-reading three sets, would note down the questions in brief.
The CBI investigation also found that the subject experts were not frisked while entering or leaving the “confidential section”. The probe agency, which registered a case on May 12, found CCTV footage of only 20-25 days.