The Maharashtra government has postponed the Maharashtra Teachers Eligibility Test (TET) 2026 after a suspected question paper leak was detected in Thane district just a day before the examination, raising fresh concerns over the security of public recruitment and eligibility tests in the state.
The Maharashtra State Examination Council (MSCE), which conducts the TET, announced that the examination scheduled for June 28 has been deferred. A revised date will be announced after the completion of the ongoing investigation.
The alleged leak came to light during a police operation in Bhiwandi, Thane district, where investigators recovered what was suspected to be the question paper for the upcoming examination.
According to officials, a preliminary verification revealed that the recovered document matched the original TET question paper, prompting authorities to immediately postpone the examination to safeguard its integrity and ensure a fair process for candidates.
Police have detained several individuals for questioning and launched a detailed investigation to identify the source of the leak and determine whether an organised network was involved in circulating the examination material before the scheduled test.
Investigators are examining digital devices, communication records and other evidence to trace how the paper was accessed and distributed.
The last-minute decision has left lakhs of aspiring teachers across Maharashtra facing uncertainty. Many candidates had already finalised travel plans or reached their examination centres in preparation for the test.
The Maharashtra State Examination Council appealed to candidates not to rely on rumours or unverified information circulating on social media. The council said all updates regarding the revised examination schedule would be communicated only through official channels.
The incident has once again brought the issue of examination security into focus, particularly amid growing concerns over paper leaks and irregularities affecting competitive and recruitment examinations in different parts of the country.
The state government has assured strict action against those found responsible for compromising the examination process and said every effort would be made to ensure a transparent and secure conduct of the rescheduled test.
Officials said the investigation is continuing and further details are expected once preliminary findings are reviewed by the authorities.
