The Supreme Court on Monday raised concerns about the repeated controversies involving the National Testing Agency (NTA), lamenting that “sadly” the agency had not taken lessons from the NEET paper leak lying in its wake. The court asked the Centre, the NTA, and the CBI to respond to petitions for major reforms in the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET-UG) 2026. The court asked the government, NTA and CBI to answer petitions seeking reforms in the NEET-UG 2026 amidst mounting anxieties over exam security after NEET-UG 2026, which was conducted on May 3, was cancelled on May 12 following a paper leak in the exam. The case is under the CBI’s probe.
Why did the Supreme Court question NTA
A bench of Justices PS Narasimha and Alok Aradhe questioned why reforms were not taken seriously after the court had intervened in earlier NEET scandals, noting that the court was satisfied that a monitoring committee had complied with its recommendations after each prior scandal. However, the repeated scandals suggest that remedial measures were not adequately enforced.
The court ordered NTA to file an affidavit by Thursday detailing corrective measures taken to implement the recommendations by an expert committee constituted in 2024 to rectify the exam system. The judges also ordered that copies of the petitions be supplied to Solicitor General Tushar Mehta and other parties to the case.
What did they want in NEET UG 2026
Petitioners, including one by Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA), had asked for restructuring / replacement of NTA by an independent and autonomous examination body. They said that repeated paper leak allegations ruined the credibility of the medical entrance examination and destroyed the future of lakhs of aspirants.
FAIMA said that new institutional mechanism with adequate technological safeguards and a transparent monitoring mechanism needs to be set up for the examination system. It said that the repeated paper leaks were a big issue for the over 22 lakh students who appear for the exam every year.
Petitioners also asked the court to set up a high-powered monitoring committee headed by a retired Supreme Court judge. They said that cybersecurity experts and forensic specialists would also help in setting up any future re-examination process.
What is the role of the expert committee
The Supreme Court also directed the Centre-appointed committee headed by former ISRO chairman K Radhakrishnan to furnish the court with information about the implementation of the former recommendations.
The committee had earlier put forth suggestions for reforms to beef up the functioning of the NTA, digital security systems and monitoring mechanisms. The court wanted to know whether those recommendations were actually implemented before the latest episode.
Where did NEET UG 2026 controversy begin
The NEET-UG 2026 examination was conducted across the country on 3 May for admission to undergraduate medical courses. Soon after the exam, news of question paper leaks came up from different places, resulting in protests and calls for cancellation. The NTA cancelled the exam on May 12 following preliminary investigations. The CBI has since stepped in to investigate a possible leak network and other irregularities. The controversy has again reignited the debate on security, credibility and transparency of large scale national entrance examinations conducted by the agency.
What is the next step in the NEET case
The Supreme Court has now grouped similar petitions and is expected to open fresh remarks after the Centre and the NTA submit their responses. The court’s remarks are expected to bring more pressure on the authorities to strengthen security measures and restore faith in the country’s biggest medical entrance exam system.
Radhika is a journalist with two years of experience covering education, competitive exams, and student-focused developments. She reports on exam notifications, results, admissions, scholarships, and academic policies, helping students stay updated with important information.
Known for her clear and reader-friendly writing, she simplifies complex education updates into accessible stories that guide aspirants, students, and parents. She is also interested in highlighting inspiring student journeys and grassroots education initiatives.
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