NEW DELHI — Seeking to calm the 23 lakh candidates whose medical careers are currently in limbo, testing authorities confirmed Tuesday that the 2026 national entrance exam leak is proceeding on the exact same schedule as the 2024 leak. Officials emphasized that the May 3 examination will be followed by the traditional period of denial, a sudden cancellation, and a comprehensive handover to the Central Bureau of Investigation.

"We understand that students thrive on routine during high-stakes testing," said an agency spokesperson. "That is why we ensured this year's breach originated from within our own high-security chain of custody. By allowing a retired professor from the paper-setting panel to sell the questions directly to Latur coaching centers, we maintained strict quality control over the illicit materials."

The testing board praised the efficiency of the local coaching networks, noting that one middleman successfully consolidated payments from approximately two dozen bank accounts before candidates even sat for the test. Authorities confirmed this streamlined bribery structure represents a major logistical improvement over the 2024 Patna paper theft case, which required 45 separate chargesheets.

"The examination cycle is working flawlessly," the spokesperson added, organizing a fresh stack of CBI summons. "While candidates face complete uncertainty regarding their eventual re-examination, the profit margins for our coaching operators remain entirely predictable."