A fresh controversy erupted on Tuesday after the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) pointed out dozens of questions in UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2026 closely matched study material circulated by a coaching institute. The student body has sought a clarification from the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) and called for a transparent investigation into the matter.
According to NSUI, as many as 82 questions in the preliminary examinations are looking similar to content provided by coaching institute Anantam IAS. The organisation claimed that several questions resembled not only the subject matter but also the wording and presentation found in the study material.
Raising concerns over the alleged overlap, the NSUI said the matter warrants a detailed inquiry to determine whether any irregularities occurred during the examination process. The student body further alleged that the study material in question was modified after the examination and that dates associated with the content may have been altered, leading to questions about how the material was circulated and presented.
The NSUI claimed these developments have fuelled suspicions regarding possible links between coaching institutes and the examination ecosystem, though it did not provide evidence of a paper leak. Calling the issue a matter of concern for lakhs of civil services aspirants, NSUI said it would formally write to the UPSC seeking an explanation and urging the Commission to conduct an impartial and transparent inquiry. The organisation has also asked the UPSC to publicly clarify the allegations to address concerns among candidates. The UPSC has not issued any official statement on the claims so far.
The allegations come at a time when the integrity of competitive examinations remains under intense public scrutiny. However, the students and unemployed youths under the banner of recently-formed Cockroach Janata Party has been protesting across India demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradesh over NEET paper leak.