Maharashtra TET 2026 Postponed After Alleged Paper Leak; SIT Ordered as Probe Expands

The Maharashtra Teacher Eligibility Test (MAHA TET) 2026, scheduled to be held on Sunday, June 28, was postponed after police uncovered an alleged question paper leak a day before the examination. The Maharashtra State Council of Examination (MSCE) announced the postponement after officials verified that question papers recovered during a police operation matched the actual examination paper, according to authorities.

The decision affected more than 4.28 lakh candidates who were expected to appear for the examination at 1,028 centres across Maharashtra. The examination is conducted to determine the eligibility of candidates seeking teaching positions in primary and upper primary schools across the state.

The incident has prompted the Maharashtra government to order a high-level investigation. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to examine the circumstances surrounding the alleged leak, while Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has said the government is considering invoking the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) if investigators establish that an organised criminal network was involved.

Police Raid Leads to Discovery

According to the police, the alleged paper leak came to light after officers received confidential intelligence about suspicious activity ahead of the examination.

Acting on the information, the Bhiwandi Police conducted a raid on Saturday, June 27, at a hotel in the Kongaon area of Thane district. During the operation, police detained three individuals and recovered four sets of question papers that investigators believed were connected to the Maharashtra TET examination.

Officials from the Maharashtra State Council of Examination later examined the recovered documents. According to police and government officials, the questions matched the official examination paper that had been prepared for the June 28 test.

Following the verification, the MSCE decided to postpone the examination before it began, saying the move was necessary to protect the fairness and credibility of the recruitment process.

Authorities have not disclosed how the examination papers were allegedly accessed or at what stage the leak may have occurred.

Three Arrested in the Case

Police have arrested three individuals identified as Rajiv Kumar, Aakash Kumar and Dheeraj Singh in connection with the case.

Investigators allege that the suspects were planning to sell the leaked examination papers for approximately ₹1.5 crore. Police have described this as part of their ongoing investigation, and the allegation has not yet been tested in court.

Authorities believe additional individuals may have been involved. Investigators are examining possible links to a wider network operating across multiple states, including Delhi, Haryana, Bihar and West Bengal. However, these alleged interstate connections remain under investigation, and police have not announced further arrests as of June 28.

No charge sheet has been filed, and no court has made findings regarding the allegations.

Government Announces SIT Investigation

Soon after the postponement was announced, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis ordered the formation of a Special Investigation Team to conduct a detailed inquiry into the incident.

According to the Maharashtra government, the SIT will be headed by Thane Joint Commissioner of Police Panjabrao Ugale. The team has been tasked with identifying those responsible for the alleged leak, determining how the examination papers were compromised, and investigating whether a larger organised network was involved.

The Chief Minister has directed officials to conduct a thorough investigation and ensure accountability if any wrongdoing is established.

The SIT is expected to coordinate with police units and other investigative agencies as the inquiry progresses.

MCOCA May Be Considered

Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said the government is considering invoking the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act against those responsible if investigators find evidence that the alleged leak was carried out by an organised criminal syndicate.

MCOCA is a state law used to investigate and prosecute organised crime. However, no charges under the Act had been formally invoked as of June 28.

Legal experts note that any decision to apply MCOCA would depend on evidence gathered during the investigation and would be subject to legal procedures.

Examination Postponed to Protect Integrity

The Maharashtra State Council of Examination said postponing the examination was necessary to ensure transparency and maintain public confidence in the recruitment process.

Officials stated that allowing the examination to proceed after confirming that the recovered papers matched the official question paper could have compromised the fairness of the test.

The council has not yet announced a revised examination date.

Officials said fresh information regarding the rescheduled examination will be released through official notifications once the investigation reaches an appropriate stage and administrative arrangements are completed.

More Than Four Lakh Candidates Affected

According to MSCE data, more than 4.28 lakh candidates were scheduled to appear for the Maharashtra TET examination.

Authorities have also stated that nearly six lakh applications had been received during the registration process. The examination was to be conducted at approximately 1,028 centres across the state.

The postponement has affected candidates who had already travelled to examination centres or completed preparations for the test.

While several candidates expressed disappointment on social media, officials have advised applicants to rely only on official announcements and avoid rumours circulating online.

No Fresh Registration Required

The Maharashtra State Council of Examination has clarified that candidates who have already registered for the examination will not be required to complete the registration process again.

Officials also said that no additional registration fee will be charged when the examination is rescheduled.

Candidates have been advised to retain their existing registration details and monitor the official MSCE website for announcements regarding revised examination dates, admit cards and other instructions.

The council has urged applicants not to rely on unverified messages shared through social media or messaging platforms.

Investigation Continues

Police are continuing to examine digital evidence, recovered documents and the backgrounds of those arrested.

Investigators are also working to determine how the examination papers were allegedly obtained before the scheduled test and whether anyone associated with the examination process may have assisted those involved.

Authorities have not publicly disclosed whether electronic devices, communication records or financial transactions have been recovered during the investigation.

Police have also not announced whether additional searches are being conducted in other states.

As the investigation remains ongoing, officials have cautioned against drawing conclusions before all evidence has been examined.

Several Questions Remain Unanswered

Although authorities have confirmed the postponement and the arrests, several important aspects of the case remain under investigation.

Officials have not yet explained how the examination paper was allegedly leaked, when the breach may have occurred or whether the leak originated inside the examination system or elsewhere.

It is also unclear how many people, if any, may have received access to the alleged leaked paper before police intervened.

Investigators have not announced whether the recovered papers were circulated electronically, distributed in printed form or shared through other methods.

The government has also not indicated whether fresh question papers will be prepared for the rescheduled examination or whether additional security measures will be introduced.

What Candidates Should Watch For

For now, candidates are not required to take any immediate action other than monitoring official updates issued by the Maharashtra State Council of Examination.

The council has confirmed that existing registrations will remain valid and that candidates will not need to submit fresh applications when a new examination date is announced.

Officials have advised candidates to ignore unofficial reports regarding revised examination schedules until formal notifications are published through the MSCE’s official communication channels.

The investigation into the alleged paper leak remains at an early stage. While police have made arrests and the state government has launched a Special Investigation Team, many of the allegations, including the alleged interstate network and the reported ₹1.5 crore sale plan, have yet to be examined in court or established through the ongoing investigation.