Pune: A botany lecturer from Pune’s Modern College of Arts, Science and Commerce arrested by the CBI in connection with the NEET-2026 paper leak case has been suspended from service with immediate effect, the institution said on Monday, May 18.
Lecturer Manisha Gurunath Mandhare was suspended under Rule 33(5) of Maharashtra Employees of Private Schools (Conditions of Service) Rules, 1981, the college said in a statement.
Mandhare had been working in the junior college section since 2002 and had been teaching biology to Class 11 and 12 students for the last 24 years, adding that her appointment by the National Testing Agency (NTA) for certain confidential work related to the NEET examination was in her personal capacity, it said.
“The work entrusted to her was completely confidential in nature and all communication and instructions were directly exchanged between the concerned individual and the NTA,” the statement said.
The college said it learnt about Mandhare’s arrest in the NEET-2026 question paper leak case through news channels and media reports, describing the matter as “serious, unfortunate and condemnable”.
“An emergency meeting of the governing body of the institution was convened on Monday following which Mandhare was suspended under Rule 33(5) of Maharashtra Employees of Private Schools (Conditions of Service) Rules, 1981. The suspension is effective from May 16, the date and time of her arrest,” the statement said.
The institution further said the suspension decision has been communicated to Commissioner of Education, Deputy Director of School Education and the Joint Director of School Education in Pune.
It also said further investigation in the matter would be carried out in cooperation with the Central Bureau of Investigation.
The National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) was conducted across 551 Indian cities and at 14 overseas centres on May 3 and was cancelled after information regarding alleged malpractice was received on May 7. Nearly 23 lakh candidates had registered for the test.
