Top Court Expresses Concern Over NEET Paper Leak Case And Administrative Lapses
Top court criticises NEET paper leak handling, citing repeated systemic failures.
The Supreme Court of India on Monday expressed strong concern over repeated allegations of NEET exam paper leaks, observing that it was “sad” that lessons had not been learned from earlier incidents. The remarks came during a hearing on petitions related to alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG 2026 examination conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA).
The court issued notices to the Centre and the Ministry of Education while hearing a plea filed by the Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA), which has sought either the replacement or a complete restructuring of the NTA. The petition also called for a fresh examination to be conducted under judicial supervision, citing what it described as a systemic failure in the conduct of the exam.
During the proceedings, the Supreme Court also sought clarification from the NTA regarding the status of a monitoring committee that was previously directed to be formed. The court instructed the agency to submit a counter-affidavit explaining developments in the case, while also directing the monitoring committee’s chairperson to ensure compliance with earlier orders. The matter has been listed for further hearing on Friday.
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The petitioners have urged the Union government to establish a more robust, technologically advanced, and autonomous body to conduct NEET examinations in the future. They have also demanded the formation of a high-powered oversight committee, including a retired Supreme Court judge, a cybersecurity expert, and a forensic specialist, to supervise any re-conducted examination until structural reforms are implemented.
The plea further highlighted reports of alleged question paper leaks, claiming that “guess papers” circulated on messaging platforms like WhatsApp and Telegram reportedly matched a significant number of questions in the exam. It also recommended a shift to a Computer-Based Test (CBT) system and stronger digital safeguards, including secure question paper handling, to reduce risks of leakage and malpractice. The court’s observations add to ongoing scrutiny of the examination system, with the case now set for further hearing as authorities respond to the allegations and proposed reforms.
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