The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed a closure report in the UGC-NET 2024 examination case, which was canceled after allegations surfaced that its question paper had been leaked on the darknet and sold on Telegram. Officials confirmed the development on Thursday.
In the report submitted to a special court, the CBI stated that no evidence was found to substantiate claims of a paper leak. The agency also shared its findings with the Union Ministry of Education.
The special court will now decide whether to accept the closure report and formally close the case or instruct the CBI to conduct further investigation into the matter.
According to the CBI, the allegations stemmed from a “doctored” screenshot of the June 18, 2024, UGC-NET question paper, which was being circulated by a student for monetary gain.
The screenshot shared on Telegram channels on the day of the examination, created the impression that the question paper had been leaked and that the individual sharing it had access to it before the exam. However, the investigation revealed that the student had manipulated the image and altered its date and timestamp using an app, officials said.
Forensic experts consulted during the probe confirmed that the screenshot was fabricated.
The incident prompted the Ministry of Education to cancel the examination on June 19, 2024. This decision was based on an alert from the National Cyber Crime Threat Analytics Unit, part of the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
The ministry’s statement at the time read, “The UGC received inputs from the National Cyber Crime Threat Analytics Unit, suggesting that the integrity of the examination might have been compromised.”
More than 11 lakh candidates had registered for the UGC-NET exam, which serves as a qualifying test for junior research fellowships, assistant professor appointments, and Ph.D. admissions in universities and colleges across India.
The CBI investigation traced the origin of the alleged paper leak to a school student who had created the fake screenshot using a mobile application. The agency determined that the image was circulated to mislead others and make financial gains.
With the closure report submitted, the focus now shifts to the court’s decision. The findings bring some clarity to the controversy surrounding the 2024 UGC-NET exam, which was marred by allegations that ultimately proved to be unfounded.
