Maharashtra postpones TET 2026 exam after question paper leak

Maharashtra postpones TET 2026 exam after question paper leak

The Maharashtra State Council of Examination (MSCE) has postponed the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) 2026, which was scheduled to take place on June 28, 2026. The decision followed a midnight tip-off and a subsequent police raid in Bhiwandi, Thane district, which exposed a question paper leak just 24 hours before the statewide examination.

The sudden cancellation has left 428,122 registered candidates in limbo. The MAHA TET is a mandatory benchmark for those aspiring to teach in primary schools (Classes 1–5) and upper primary schools (Classes 6–8). Because the test was scheduled across 1,028 examination centres in two separate sessions, many applicants had already traveled long distances to their designated cities before learning of the postponement.

The breach came to light in the early hours of Saturday, June 27, 2026. Acting on confidential information, the Bhiwandi Police conducted a raid where several individuals were found in possession of suspected examination questions. Senior MSCE officials were summoned to the scene to verify the documents. Upon cross-examination, investigators found multiple questions to be identical to the original June 2026 TET paper.

Bhiwandi Police have arrested three individuals in connection with the leak: Rajiv Shah and Akash Kumar, both from Bihar, and Dheeraj Kumar from Haryana. An official First Information Report (FIR) has been registered, and the investigation is being supervised by Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone II) Pawan Bansode.

The MSCE stated that the postponement was necessary to ensure the fairness, transparency, and integrity of the recruitment process, noting that proceeding under such circumstances could compromise credibility and harm genuine candidates. In a statement, the MSCE added:

"Maintaining fairness and transparency in the examination process is our top priority...TET scheduled for June 28 has been postponed until further notice"

MSCE, via The Week

A high-level joint investigation involving the Education Department and Thane Police is now underway. Authorities are working to unmask the mastermind and map the security breach to determine if the system was compromised by internal board officials or staff at the printing press. Investigators are also examining digital evidence and financial transactions to see if the leak network extends beyond Maharashtra into other states.

The incident has sparked widespread outrage among aspirants, who have drawn parallels to previous national controversies involving the UGC-NET and NEET paper leaks. Candidates are now demanding immediate accountability from the education department and stricter enforcement of anti-paper leak laws.

The Bhiwandi Police have warned the public against circulating unverified examination materials, stating that strict legal action will be taken against anyone involved in distributing confidential documents.

The MSCE has assured candidates that a fresh examination schedule and revised guidelines will be announced through its official website as the investigation progresses.