Lakhisarai/Patna: Ten candidates were detained during the NEET-UG 2026 re-examination in Bihar’s Lakhisarai district after their biometric details failed to match official records, triggering suspicions of impersonation.
The candidates were taken into custody from four examination centres where the re-examination was conducted under heightened security arrangements on Sunday.
Officials said investigations are underway to determine whether the individuals had appeared on behalf of other candidates or whether the discrepancies were the result of technical errors in the biometric verification system.
Mismatch Detected During Verification
The issue surfaced during the entry and verification process, when biometric data collected at the examination centres failed to match records associated with ten candidates.
According to district officials, the candidates were immediately flagged as suspicious and detained for questioning.
“The biometrics of the detained candidates did not match their records. Preliminary investigations suggest they had come to take the examination in place of other candidates,” said Prabhakar Kumar, the Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO).
Authorities stressed that the findings remain preliminary and that further verification is being carried out.
Tight Security At Examination Centres
The re-examination was conducted at four centres in Lakhisarai — KRK High School, Kendriya Vidyalaya Kiul, DT Lakhisarai and Hasanpur High School (Plus Two).
District Magistrate Shailendra Kumar and Superintendent of Police Prerna Kumar supervised arrangements, while magistrates, invigilators and police personnel were deployed across all venues.
Officials said preparations for the examination had been underway for the past week, with special emphasis placed on preventing malpractice.
CCTV surveillance systems were installed at all centres, and candidates underwent multiple layers of verification before entering examination halls.
Probe Continues After Examination
The NEET re-examination was conducted in two shifts, with the first session beginning at 10 am and the second running from 1:30 pm to 5 pm.
Even after the examination concluded, authorities continued questioning the detained candidates and scrutinising their documents and biometric records.
Investigators are now examining whether the case involves organised impersonation — commonly referred to in India as a “Munna Bhai” operation — or whether the mismatches could have resulted from technical or procedural issues.
Further Action To Depend On Findings
Officials said legal action would be taken if evidence confirms that any candidate attempted to impersonate another examinee.
The incident comes amid heightened scrutiny of entrance examinations following recent controversies surrounding alleged paper leaks and examination irregularities.
Authorities have not yet disclosed the identities of the detained candidates, and no formal charges had been announced at the time of reporting.
The district administration said a detailed inquiry would establish the exact circumstances behind the biometric mismatches before further action is initiated.
