The Supreme Court, while hearing the NEET paper leak Case , made strong remarks against the National Testing Agency (NTA), expressing concern over the repeated irregularities. The Court also regretted the cancellation of the NEET-UG 2026 examination due to the paper leak and said that the NEET paper leak case shows that NTA has failed to learn from past experiences.
A bench of Justice P.S. Narasimha and Justice Alok Aradhe was hearing the matter and issued notice on petitions filed by doctors and medical students seeking replacement of NTA in conducting the examination.
Supreme Court Questions NTA Over NEET Paper Leak Case
During the hearing, the Court asked what steps have been taken on recommendations made by a high-level committee formed after its 2024 order to strengthen the NEET system.
The bench observed that the NEET paper leak case is deeply concerning and directed NTA to file a detailed affidavit explaining compliance with the committee’s suggestions.
The Court also said, “It is unfortunate that NTA has not learned from the past,” referring to repeated issues highlighted in the NEET paper leak case.
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Concerns Over 23 Lakh Students Raised in NEET Paper Leak
Lawyers representing petitioners argued that the matter affects nearly 23 lakh students. They also mentioned that a re-exam is scheduled for June 21.
The Supreme Court noted that immediate intervention was not possible but acknowledged the seriousness of the NEET paper leak case, which has raised concerns over the examination system’s credibility.
The Court also clarified that all similar petitions will be clubbed together for hearing.
Demand for Stronger System in NEET Paper
Petitioners, including medical associations, have demanded either the replacement of NTA or the creation of a more robust and autonomous system to conduct NEET-UG exams.
They argued that repeated leaks in the NEET paper leak case violate the fundamental rights of over 22.7 lakh students and require urgent structural reforms.
The plea also sought a high-level monitoring committee headed by a retired Supreme Court judge, along with cyber security and forensic experts, to prevent future leaks in the NEET paper leak case.
Court Seeks Report from High-Level Committee
The Supreme Court directed the committee led by former ISRO chief K. Radhakrishnan to submit a detailed report on steps taken to improve NTA’s functioning.
The committee is expected to explain how recommendations have been implemented in relation to the NEET paper leak case and examination reforms.
The NEET-UG exam, conducted on May 3, was cancelled on May 12 amid allegations of paper leak, with the investigation currently being handled by the CBI.
NEET Paper Leak Remains Under Judicial Scrutiny
The NEET paper leak case continues to be under close judicial scrutiny as the Supreme Court examines systemic failures and demands accountability from NTA.
The Court’s observations highlight growing concerns over examination security, data leaks, and the need for stronger safeguards in national-level entrance tests like NEET.