Bihar: 28 arrested for attempting irregularities in NEET retest

ADG (Law and Order) said 18 staff members associated with the biometric verification system had been arrested.

Patna: At least 28 people have been held for attempting irregularities in the NEET-UG re-examination in Bihar, police said on Monday, June 22.

The re-examination was conducted across the state on Sunday, June 21, amid tight security after the original undergraduate medical entrance test, held in early May, was cancelled amid widespread allegations of a question paper leak.

Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Sudhanshu Kumar said 18 staff members associated with the biometric verification system had been arrested for allegedly colluding with dummy candidates and middlemen by compromising the verification process.

Nine impersonators were detained in Lakhisarai late on Sunday for allegedly appearing in the examination on behalf of registered candidates, Superintendent of Police Prerna Kumar had said.

Police said they have also apprehended one Ankit Raj, described as a middleman from Gaya Medical College.

Female candidate caught with mobile phone during retest, sent to judicial custody

A 22-year-old female candidate, caught allegedly using a mobile phone inside an examination centre in Jaipur, was sent to judicial custody, police said on Monday.

The accused, identified as Himanshi Tiwari, a resident of Prem Nagar Gurjar Ki Thadi, was produced in court a day after being detained and subsequently sent to jail.

According to police, the candidate was found using a mobile phone during Sunday’s test at an examination centre in Bindayaka area. Invigilators checked her upon suspicion and recovered the device concealed under her shirt.

When questioned, the accused admitted to police that she brought the phone to search for answers with the help of artificial intelligence.

Officials said the mobile phone has been seized and sent for forensic examination to determine whether it was used only to search for answers or also to transmit question paper details to others.

Police said images of the NEET question paper were found on the device nearly 15 minutes before the examination ended, but the information could not be sent outside due to active signal jammers at the centre.

Preliminary inquiry also revealed that metal detectors had raised alerts twice during entry screening, but the candidate allegedly misled security personnel by attributing it to hooks in the undergarment beneath her shirt, following which she was allowed entry.

Authorities are also questioning the centre superintendent and examination staff to ascertain how the mobile phone was carried inside despite security checks.

Police said further action will depend on the forensic report. If use of unfair means is established, the accused could face up to five years of imprisonment and a fine of up to Rs 10 lakh under relevant provisions.