New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday came down heavily on the National Testing Agency over the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak scandal, telling the examination body to learn from the Union Public Service Commission, which has conducted massive national examinations for decades without major leaks. Hearing petitions challenging the cancellation of the May 3 NEET-UG examination, the bench of Justices PS Narasimha and Alok Aradhe expressed serious concern over what it described as the ad hoc functioning of the NTA and demanded accountability for repeated security failures that have shattered public confidence.
The examination was cancelled on May 12 following allegations that question papers had been leaked before the test, triggering nationwide outrage among lakhs of students whose years of preparation were thrown into uncertainty. The Central Bureau of Investigation is currently probing the scandal. Petitioners have sought the dismantling or complete restructuring of the NTA, arguing that repeated leaks exposed a deeply compromised examination system incapable of protecting merit and fairness.
The court directed the Centre to submit a detailed affidavit explaining how it planned to create a stable and reliable institutional structure for conducting national examinations by appointing specially trained personnel and strengthening security systems. The bench also asked why fresh controversies had erupted despite recommendations submitted after the 2024 NEET paper leak by a court-appointed oversight panel headed by former ISRO chairman Dr K Radhakrishnan.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the court that the Union government was treating the matter with utmost seriousness and that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was personally monitoring developments because the issue affected the country’s youth. He said the entire examination process, from printing question papers to distribution, had been reviewed, and new security loopholes were being addressed.
The court observed that the cancellation of NEET-UG 2026 had inflicted enormous psychological and academic damage on students. It also urged the government to collaborate with IITs and leading institutions to establish a permanent AI-based monitoring mechanism capable of detecting emerging threats and strengthening the examination process continuously.
Appearing before the bench, Dr Radhakrishnan said the oversight panel had submitted 35 long-term and around 60 short-term recommendations, most of which had already been implemented. He added that the 2025 NEET-PG examination was conducted largely satisfactorily except for isolated issues such as power cuts, and that enhanced precautions had been introduced for the upcoming re-NEET examination amid fresh security concerns.