Hyderabad: Rathnamma and her husband run two small shops in Khammam. For two years, the couple set aside ₹1 lakh annually so their daughter could prepare for NEET. But on May 12, the National Testing Agency (NTA) cancelled the exam over allegations of a paper leak, throwing their plans into uncertainty. The agency said fresh dates for the rescheduled exam would be announced later.
“Years of effort and saving from the income we earned through our two small shops went into paying for our daughter’s NEET coaching, which cost ₹1 lakh a year. It was all to fulfil her dream. She was expecting over 520 marks and had a chance of getting into AIIMS Delhi. Now, it all feels wasted,” Rathnamma said.
She is not alone. Across Telangana, students who appeared for the exam on May 3, and parents who spent years funding coaching and preparation, woke up to the same question: will the next attempt be any fairer?
“We keep hearing about paper leaks and irregularities in the exam process. This has been happening for years. When will the NTA finally learn to conduct exams transparently instead of playing with the lives of 23 lakh aspirants?” asked Erina Farishta, a student at Sri Chaitanya Institute in Hyderabad.
Erina had expected to score around 706 marks. The cancellation has left her anxious about whether she can reproduce the same performance. “The paper leak may have happened, but our effort was real. Will we be able to score the same marks again?” she said.
For families already stretched financially, the cancellation means the expenses are far from over. Srujana Reddy, a junior lecturer at a government college in Warangal, said the emotional and financial strain would continue. “We spent ₹3 lakh a year for two years on our son’s coaching. It was his dream. We do not know whether there will be any refund, but he will attempt the exam again. Now we have to continue paying for hostel and coaching, besides dealing with the anxiety over what the next paper will be like,” she said.
Some students have already begun considering alternatives. Vijaylaxmi, who also appeared for the exam, said she could not afford to wait indefinitely. “I also wrote EAMCET. This is disappointing, but I cannot put my parents through more financial stress. If I get a better score in EAMCET, I may pursue that instead,” she said.
For Piya Jaju, the cancellation disrupted long-awaited plans beyond academics. “My family and I had planned a recreational trip to Japan. I had endured two years of relentless coaching and exams so I could finally take a break after NEET. But now all the bookings may have to be cancelled, and airlines and hotels are refusing refunds,” she said.
Rashmi SH, who moved to Hyderabad from Karnataka specifically for NEET coaching, said the news was hard to process. “For two years, I stayed away from my family. They had dreams for me, and so did I. Right now, it feels like everything has turned upside down,” she said.
Several doctors’ associations in Telangana, including the Federation of All India Medical Association, Healthcare Reforms Doctors Association and Telangana Junior Doctors Association, have demanded strict action against those responsible for the alleged leak.
Dr D Srinath, president of both FAIMA and the Telangana Senior Resident Doctors Association, said repeated controversies surrounding NEET had severely eroded the trust of medical aspirants. “NEET-UG 2026 was cancelled due to paper leaks, NEET-PG eligibility was reduced to zero percentile, and NEET-SS counselling has been delayed for months,” he said, demanding accountability and exemplary punishment for those involved.
In a statement, T-JUDA said the alleged paper leak and organised malpractice had caused fear, uncertainty and emotional distress among students who had spent years preparing for the examination. The association demanded a transparent CBI probe, strict punishment for those involved, permanent debarment of beneficiaries, and stronger digital security measures for future exams.
HRDA Telangana termed the incident a “systemic failure” and warned that paper leak mafias and administrative negligence were threatening the integrity of national-level examinations. The association called for strict legal action against all accused, including officials and coaching centres allegedly linked to the malpractice.
TPCC medical and health wing president Dr M Rajeev alleged that despite repeated controversies, the Centre had failed to conduct the exam in a foolproof manner. He also expressed concern over the dilution of National Medical Commission regulations and indiscriminate approvals being granted to medical colleges without maintaining standards.
Faculty members at coaching institutes said the news had left them demoralised as well. “After we received the message that NEET had been cancelled, it took us an hour to regroup ourselves. We were completely shattered,” said Sai Lakshmi, dean of Narayana College, Madhapur.
Harigopal Yadav, vice-president of the Telangana Accredited Government Junior Lecturers’ Association, said parents at the very least deserved compensation. “Parents spend lakhs on coaching fees alone, apart from books and other expenses. Years of effort have been shattered. Coaching institutes should at least refund the money,” he said.
