Mangaluru: The Maharashtra Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) 2026, scheduled for Sunday (June 28), was postponed on Saturday (June 27) following the discovery of a suspected question paper leak in Bhiwandi, Thane district. According to media reports, Over six lakh candidates across 1,728 examination centres were set to appear for the test.The Maharashtra State Council of Examination (MSCE) has claimed that the postponement is to ensure “transparency and fairness” and that the candidates will not need to re-register or pay additional fees, and a new examination date will be announced later.Three individuals – two from Bihar and one from Haryana – who had reportedly travelled from Delhi have been arrested. Bhiwandi police have claimed to have seized copies of the original TET question papers (four sets), along with cash, mobile phones, debit and credit cards.According to police, the accused were planning to sell the papers for around Rs 1.5 crore as part of an alleged inter-state racket. A mastermind is reportedly still at large, and further arrests are expected, the police claimed.Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis ordered a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into the matter, to be headed by Thane joint commissioner of Police Panjabrao Ugale. Fadnavis also held discussions with School education minister Dada Bhuse and director general of police Sadanand Date on Saturday evening.A case has been registered under various sections of the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including the Maharashtra Competitive Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024.The incident has drawn sharp criticism from opposition parties. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi posted on X in Hindi, which translates to: “Another paper leak. Another exam was cancelled. This time, Maharashtra’s TET. The country’s education and examination system has been turned into a system of extortion, leaving every youth in the country insecure. This is not just a paper leak, it is the theft of the youth’s future.”This latest case comes amid broader concerns over examination integrity in Maharashtra and the rest of the country. Earlier in 2026, allegations of question paper circulation via WhatsApp surfaced during the Maharashtra State Board HSC Chemistry exam in Nagpur, leading to arrests but no re-examination as the board maintained it was not a full-scale leak.