‘They haven’t learnt lessons’: SC seeks response from Centre, NTA over 2026 NEET paper leak

The Supreme Court of India on Monday (May 25) expressed disappointment over the cancellation of the NEET-UG 2026 due to paper leak, saying that it was “sad” that no lessons have been learned from previous such instances. This came as the top court heard a plea seeking the replacement of the National Testing Agency with an autonomous body for conducting the medical entrance exam in the country. The Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) had moved the court challenging the alleged “systemic failure” by the NTA in conducting the exam. The court has sought a reply from the Centre, the Education Ministry, and the NTA over the matter.

A bench of Justices PS Narasimha and Alok Aradhe ordered that a copy of all petitions should be served to Solicitor General Tushar Mehta. The court has also asked the NTA to file an affidavit by Thursday (May 28) on compliance with the directions issued by the court in 2024 on measures to strengthen the NEET mechanism.

“We are so sad, they (NTA) haven’t learnt their lessons. We passed an order directing the constitution of a committee to give recommendations, which was accepted,” Justice Narasimha said.

The court ordered, “We direct the NTA to file an affidavit indicating the position as regard to the monitoring committee constituted on 14 November, 2024. We also direct Dr K Radhakrishnan, the former chairman, to file an affidavit indicating the steps taken to ensure the compliance given by the High Powered Committtee that has given its report. The affidavit shall be filed within 3 days.”

In the petition, FAIMA asked the court to direct the Centre to replace the NTA with a “more robust, technologically advanced, and autonomous body” for conducting NEET entrance exams. The plea was filed days after the NTA cancelled NEET-UG 2026, which was conducted on May 3, following an alleged paper leak. According to reports, “guess papers” circulating on WhatsApp and Telegram matched more than 100 questions in the actual question paper. The investigation has been handed over to the CBI.

The plea further requested the formation of a high-powered monitoring committee headed by a retired Supreme Court judge, with a cybersecurity expert and a forensic scientist as members, to oversee the re-conduct of NEET-UG 2026 until a new independent examination authority is established.

It also sought directions for re-conducting NEET-UG 2026 under the supervision of a judicially appointed high-powered committee, with the examination process to proceed only after the proposed interim oversight panel verifies and certifies the security of the revised system.

Additionally, the petition called for the digital locking of question papers and a shift to a Computer-Based Test (CBT) format to remove risks associated with the physical handling and transportation of exam papers.

Meanwhile, the court directed the National Testing Agency (NTA) to submit a counter-affidavit and instructed the chairman of the monitoring committee to ensure compliance with its directions. The matter has now been scheduled for a hearing on Friday (May 29).