In India, academic achievement is often prioritized above all else. From childhood, individuals are encouraged to excel in school and college, a value deeply ingrained in the culture. While some successfully pursue this path and bring pride to their families, others face obstacles due to financial constraints or circumstances beyond their control.
Ashok Bahar: A 71-Year-Old NEET Aspirant
One such individual is Ashok Bahar, a resident of Uttar Pradesh who appeared for the NEET UG 2026 examination and garnered significant attention. At 71 years old, Bahar is a resident of Chandernagar in Alambagh and took the medical entrance exam on May 3, 2026. Dressed in a kurta-pyjama and carrying a water bottle and question paper, he drew the notice of many as he exited the examination center after completing the test.
The Power of a Mother's Dream
Bahar previously worked as a marketing head at IDPL and later with the Ministry of External Affairs before retiring in 2000. He is an alumnus of the University of Lucknow, holding both an LLB and an MBA degree, as per a Navbharat Times report. Despite his background in law and business, Bahar decided to pursue his long-held dream of becoming a doctor. His wife, Dr. Manjul Bahar, is a gynecologist. However, it was his mother's wish and a promise made to her long ago that motivated him to pass the exam. He had told his mother he would become a doctor, following in his father's footsteps. According to reports, Bahar comes from a family of 20 doctors and aims to specialize in Hepatology, driven by a desire to combat liver diseases he saw spreading like an epidemic. With his wife's support—she taught him and shared her medical knowledge—he studied tirelessly to achieve the dream he had promised to fulfill.
NEET Paper Leak: A Dream Shattered
After successfully appearing for the exam he had long awaited, Ashok Bahar eagerly anticipated the results. However, just a week later, news broke that the question paper had been leaked, leading to the cancellation of the exam.
According to reports, on May 2, an MBBS student from Rajasthan's Sikar, studying in Kerala, received a PDF file labeled as a "guess paper" from a friend in Sikar. He forwarded it to his father, who runs a hostel for coaching students in Sikar, suggesting it might aid students in their preparation for the May 3 exam. The father was late in sharing the papers but eventually gave them to a chemistry teacher he knew. Upon comparing the contents with the actual exam, the teacher discovered that 45 out of 108 chemistry questions matched exactly. When a biology teacher was consulted, they found that 90 out of 204 biology questions also matched.
After being turned away by the police, the two men contacted the National Testing Agency (NTA), prompting an investigation. The NTA then alerted the Intelligence Bureau and directed Rajasthan's Special Operations Group (SOG) to probe the matter on May 8. Investigators reportedly confirmed the sequence of events using the hostel owner's mobile phone records and WhatsApp chats. Consequently, the NTA cancelled the exams and announced that fresh dates for re-examination would be disclosed separately. What may have been a source of illicit gain for some ended up shattering a 71-year-old's attempt to realize his lifelong dream.
