Supreme Court Awaits Nilekani Panel's Suggestions On Conducting Online NEET Exams

The Supreme Court on Monday said it would examine the recommendations of the Nandan Nilekani-led high-powered task force on conducting the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) in an online format. The court observed that innovative solutions and additional safeguards would be required, especially while shifting from the existing physical examination model to a computer-based system. A bench comprising Justices PS Narasimha and Alok Aradhe said that the transition to an online NEET examination would require strong measures related to cybersecurity and protection of candidate data.

The court emphasised the need for “out-of-the-box” suggestions to ensure that the examination system remains secure, transparent and reliable. "We need some additional safeguards with respect to cyber security, database protection," the bench said while hearing a petition related to the NEET-UG examination controversy. The remarks were made during the hearing of a plea filed by RJD MP Sudhakar Singh following the cancellation of the NEET-UG examination held on May 3 amid allegations of a paper leak. The controversy had led to demands for stronger safeguards and a review of the examination process.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, informed the court that the government had taken the issue seriously and constituted a high-level committee to suggest reforms. He said the committee was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and would be headed by Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani, who has expertise in large-scale technology systems. Mehta told the court that the task force includes experts from multiple fields, including technology, space, intelligence, education and logistics.

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Other members include former ISRO chairman S Somanath, former Intelligence Bureau director Tapan Deka, IIT Madras director V Kamakoti, former education secretary Anita Karwal and logistics expert Amrit Lal Meena. The Centre has said the task force will examine ways to improve the examination system, strengthen security measures and prevent irregularities such as paper leaks. The panel is expected to provide recommendations on improving transparency, data protection and operational efficiency in conducting major competitive examinations.

The Supreme Court said it would consider the suggestions made by the task force while hearing matters related to NEET reforms. The bench listed the petition filed by Sudhakar Singh for further hearing on August 3. The NEET-UG examination controversy began after allegations of paper leaks emerged following the May 3 examination conducted for medical admissions. The National Testing Agency (NTA) later cancelled the examination, and a re-test was conducted on June 21. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is currently investigating the alleged paper leak case.

The controversy has triggered a wider debate over examination security, with students and political parties demanding stronger mechanisms to protect the credibility of competitive exams. The Supreme Court’s observations come at a time when the government is considering major changes to India’s examination framework. The proposed shift towards online testing is expected to focus on improving efficiency while ensuring that cybersecurity measures are strong enough to protect millions of candidates appearing for national-level examinations.

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