Hundreds of Indian medical students today sat for a highly controlled retest following the largest exam paper leak in the country's history. The scandal, which surfaced last month, involved the leaking of question papers for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) for postgraduate medical courses. Sources confirm that at least 1,000 candidates were implicated, with leaked documents circulating on encrypted messaging apps for sums exceeding £5,000.
The retest, conducted under unprecedented security, saw students frisked multiple times and mobile phones confiscated. This leak strikes at the heart of India's medical education system, already hobbled by corruption and a shortage of doctors. The Central Bureau of Investigation has arrested 12 individuals, including university officials and staff at printing presses.
The scandal has reignited debates about the privatisation of medical education and the influence of money in admissions. For the students cramming into classrooms today, the retest is a grim reminder of how far they'll go for a seat in a system where unaccountable power and cash often trump merit.