I take responsibility, strict action will be taken against culprits: NTA chief

In an exclusive interview with India Today, National Testing Agency (NTA) Chief Abhishek Singh addressed the recent cancellation of the NEET examination, which affected over 22.7 lakh students. Noting the disappointment among students and parents, Singh stated, "I take responsibility." He explained that the decision to cancel the exam was made after a whistle-blower reported a handwritten question bank circulating on WhatsApp, which partially matched the actual test paper. Highlighting a zero-tolerance policy towards malpractice, Singh warned perpetrators, saying, "The CBI will arrest you, will send you to the jail." He assured candidates that the NTA is committed to conducting a re-examination at the earliest without charging additional fees, noting, "We are refunding the fees that we had charged earlier." While declining to comment on the exact scale of the breach or potential internal involvement, Singh reiterated that the ongoing CBI inquiry will uncover the full extent of the compromise and hold the guilty accountable.