The UGC-NET held on Tuesday faced a serious breach and its question paper was leaked 48 hours earlier and sold on the dark web and encrypted social media platforms for Rs 6 lakh, sources from the Central Bureau of Investigation told NDTV. The Education Ministry cancelled the exam on Wednesday, citing input from the anti-cybercrime unit.

Amid mounting criticism over the NEET controversy, the education ministry clarified that the cancellation was necessary “to ensure the highest level of transparency and sanctity of the examination process”.

UGC-NET, the National Eligibility Test administered by the University Grants Commission, serves as a qualifying exam for appointments to professorial roles in universities and colleges, as well as for fellowships. More than 11 lakh students had registered for this exam this time.

While the origin of the leak remains unclear at this stage, sources said, the CBI will work with the National Testing Agency (NTA), the central body responsible for conducting competitive exams, to investigate the matter.

The role of coaching centers, where countless aspirants enroll to prepare for competitive exams, will also be probed, as per sources.

Following the Education Ministry’s complaint, the CBI filed its initial FIR on Thursday, naming unidentified individuals. The ministry said that initial findings suggest “prima facie that the integrity of the examination may have been compromised.”

Authorities suspect a widespread corruption network behind the leak. The agency will investigate officials overseeing exam conduct, including those involved in setting and distributing question papers.

After the UGC-NET cancellation, protests erupted on university campuses nationwide, with students alleging that they had alerted authorities about potential paper leaks a week before the exam, but no action was taken.

At Lucknow University, students claimed that at least one leaked paper was being circulated for as little as Rs 5,000 via WhatsApp and Telegram groups.