Mumbai: Amid a nationwide uproar over the leak of the National Eligibility Test (NEET) paper, the Maharashtra State Examination Council (MSEC) on Saturday canceled the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) scheduled for Sunday after parts of the question paper were leaked. School Education Minister Dada Bhos said that a new date for the examination will be announced after proper preparation and a transparent investigation.
“Given the recent paper leaks and conducting the exams in a transparent manner, we need to consider an online model for the TET exam,” Busi said.
The cancellation of the test a day before the scheduled date sparked unrest among candidates, especially serving teachers below the age of 55 who must clear the TET exam by 2028 to remain in service as per the Supreme Court mandate.
A total of 600,125 candidates registered for this year’s TET, of which 258,061 registered for Paper 1 (for candidates seeking to teach primary grades) and 342,064 registered for Paper 2 (for candidates seeking to teach upper primary grades). The exam was scheduled to be conducted at 1,028 centers on Sunday.
According to Nandkumar Bedse, Chairman, MSEC, in the early hours of June 27, the police received a tip-off that a few people in Bhiwandi had bagged the TET question paper.
“Based on a tip-off, Bhiwandi police raided the site and summoned officials from the examination board to verify the materials. The officials found that some questions in the seized documents matched the actual TET 2026 question paper. Accordingly, the police registered a criminal case and started investigation,” Bedse said.
Bhiwandi Police have arrested three people in connection with the paper leak and are investigating whether there are others involved in the case. Sources in the education department said that the TET newspaper is generally printed outside Maharashtra and the three accused who were arrested were from outside the state.
In a statement on Saturday, the examination board said it had taken several security measures while preparing for the TET exam, taking into account the irregularities reported in the NEET 2026 exam. However, it decided to postpone the exam after the alleged leak of the paper came to light to ensure that the recruitment process remains fair and transparent. A detailed investigation is also necessary into the alleged leak of the paper, the statement said.
Candidates are suffering
The cancellation of the TET exam sparked unrest among candidates and sparked calls from activists and politicians to reform the exam system.
“This incident (alleged paper leakage) is a serious blot on the state’s administrative machinery. A CBI inquiry must be ordered in this matter,” said JM Abhyankar, a member of the legislative council who represents the teachers’ constituency.
He also urged the government to grant an extension of service to teacher candidates whose deadline for passing the examination is approaching its end.
Bhausabheb Chaskar of the Active Teachers Forum said the service requirements of teachers in the TET exam are demoralizing.
“Teachers in their 50s are forced to take stringent examinations on the lines of competitive exams like the MPSC exams. The examination process has left thousands of teachers in turmoil,” he said.
He said that exams should not be used as a tool for harassment, but rather to evaluate and enhance teachers’ professional qualities, abilities and skills, and improve the education system. “This is why teachers have long been demanding restructuring of both MahaTET and CTET of the central government.”
Tanaji Kamble, president of Maharashtra Progressive Teachers Association, called on the government to conduct TET online, to ensure transparency, security and credibility.
Professor Palosha Mani of Shiv-Unity Foundation strongly criticized the administration and demanded that the masterminds behind the leak of the paper be charged under stringent laws like the Maharashtra Control of Organized Crime Act (MCOCA). He stressed that such incidents cannot be reduced without imposing strict penalties that go beyond mere internal investigations and suspension.
Dr Madhav Suryavanshi, chief coordinator of Shikshan Vikas Manch, highlighted the mental anguish faced by candidates preparing for the exam while managing school responsibilities and demanded immediate announcement of a new date.
Anil Purnar, president of Shikshak Mahasangh (Mumbai and Konkan division), urged the chief minister and school education minister not to conduct the TET until it is restructured.