3 weeks ago
Post NEET Row, MP Police Mulls STF for Paper Leaks
In India, a big test called NEET faced a problem when its question paper was leaked.
A paper leak means someone got the test questions before the exam and shared them, which is cheating.
Many people were unhappy about this, and the government made a new rule called the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, to stop cheating on big tests.
Now, police leaders in the state of Madhya Pradesh are thinking about creating a special police team just to investigate paper leaks.
The state already has a special team that has investigated big cheating cases before.
The new rule says only senior police officers of a certain rank can investigate these cases.
It also lets the central government ask other special agencies for help and create special teams.
The rule says investigations must finish within two months, but it does not say what happens if they take longer.
The leader of the special team says they are ready to help whenever police headquarters decides.
After the NEET paper leak row, Madhya Pradesh Police Headquarters is considering forming a Special Task Force (STF) to investigate paper leak cases.
The move follows Parliament's passage of the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, on instructions from the Government of India.
Madhya Pradesh already has an STF that probed the Vyapam scam, later handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on the Supreme Court's order.
The Bill empowers the central government to refer investigations to central agencies and constitute special task forces, with officers of DSP or ACP rank and above allowed to investigate.
The Bill sets a two-month time limit for completing investigations but includes no provisions if the deadline is not met.
- Who
- Madhya Pradesh Police Headquarters (PHQ) and its existing Special Task Force under ADG Sreenivasa Verma, acting on instructions from the Government of India.
- What
- The state is considering forming a Special Task Force to investigate exam paper leak cases under the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026.
- Where
- Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh.
- When
- Following the NEET paper leak and Parliament's passage of the Bill in 2026; no exact date is given.
- Why
- To probe paper leak cases after the NEET row, as empowered by the new Bill and instructed by the Government of India.
Key facts
- State
- Madhya Pradesh
- Police Headquarters
- Bhopal
- Trigger
- NEET paper leak and passage of the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026
- Proposed body
- Special Task Force (STF) for paper leak investigation
- Investigating officer rank
- Deputy superintendent of police or assistant commissioner of police or above
- Investigation deadline
- Two months
- STF in-charge
- ADG Sreenivasa Verma
- Previous STF case
- Vyapam scam, later handed to CBI on the Supreme Court's order
Quotes
Sreenivasa Verma
Deputy Director General, Police Headquarters, Madhya Pradesh
“"If a dedicated team is required or a team is formed for the cause under the umbrella of STF, the STF will perform its duty as given by the senior office."”
freepressjournal.in
Sources
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