NEET Reform Check: Supreme Court Seeks Update On Radhakrishnan Panel Recommendations
Supreme Court seeks update on NEET examination reform implementation.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the Centre to provide an update on steps taken to implement the recommendations of the Radhakrishnan Committee and the Nandan Nilekani-led task force on reforms in the National Testing Agency (NTA). A bench of Justices PS Narasimha and Alok Aradhe stressed that reforms in the examination body must be institutionalised rather than remain dependent on individual processes or personnel.
The bench observed that the NTA must have adequate infrastructure, manpower and technological capabilities to conduct entrance examinations smoothly and securely. The seven-member Radhakrishnan Committee was constituted by the Ministry of Education following allegations of irregularities and a paper leak in the NEET-UG examination. It was tasked with recommending reforms to the examination process, strengthening data security and reviewing the structure and functioning of the NTA.
The Centre had also constituted a high-powered task force headed by Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani to examine structural reforms in competitive examinations. The Supreme Court noted that the recommendations included the use of advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence and blockchain to strengthen examination security and integrity. The bench stressed that institutionalising these reforms was crucial because procedures that appear robust on paper could produce different outcomes without sustained institutional expertise.
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The court directed the concerned Secretary to file an affidavit detailing the steps taken to implement the Radhakrishnan Committee's recommendations, as further refined by the Nilekani-led task force. The affidavit must include indicative timelines and be filed within three weeks. During the hearing, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta outlined existing safeguards, including multiple moderators preparing question banks, CCTV-monitored printing, security arrangements, GPS-tracked transportation and storage of question papers in bank strong rooms.
Mehta also detailed the procedures followed on examination day, including the selection and transportation of question papers to centres under security and their opening in the presence of officials and students. The Supreme Court, however, noted that several of these safeguards had already been considered by the Radhakrishnan Committee. The bench said the NTA needed to evolve into a robust and "vibrant institution" capable of retaining institutional expertise and adapting continuously to technological changes.
The court referred to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) as an example of an examination body that has developed institutional memory and expertise over decades. The observations came while hearing a batch of petitions, including one filed by advocate Tanvi Dubey on behalf of the Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA), seeking reforms to the NTA. The NEET-UG paper leak allegations are being investigated by the CBI. The Supreme Court had earlier declined to cancel the 2024 NEET-UG examination while issuing directions aimed at preventing paper leaks and establishing criteria for cancellation of public examinations.
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