‘They Haven’t Learnt Their Lessons’: SC Seeks Centre, NTA, CBI Response On NEET Paper Leak | India News
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The Supreme Court heard pleas by various stakeholders seeking measures ranging from replacing the NTA to shifting NEET entirely to a computer-based format.
Students at the Supreme Court of India during the hearing on the 2024 NEET case. (PTI)
The Supreme Court on Monday sought the response of the Centre, the National Testing Agency (NTA) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on pleas asking for the replacement of the NTA with an autonomous body to conduct the NEET medical examination.
A bench of Justices PS Narasimha and Alok Aradhe heard several petitions seeking measures ranging from replacing the NTA to shifting NEET entirely to a computer-based format.
The court remarked that it was “sad” that no lessons have been learned from previous instances of NEET exam paper leak cases as it issued notice to the Centre and the Education Ministry over pleas related to NEET-UG 2026 exam. The court also sought a reply from the NTA on what happened to the monitoring committee that was to have been constituted on its earlier orders.
SC Asks NTA To File Affidavit
“We are not so much on the examination. It is sad that they have not learnt their lessons. We passed an order. A committee was formed. It made recommendations, it was accepted. A monitoring committee was also there,” it said.
The Supreme Court also directed the NTA to file a counter affidavit detailing compliance with recommendations made by the court-appointed monitoring committee that was constituted following the 2024 NEET paper leak controversy. It further directed the chairman of the monitoring committee to ensure compliance with its directions.
The case has been listed for further hearing on May 29. In their plea, the Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) and United Doctors Front (UDF) sought directions to replace or overhaul the NTA and establish a more secure and autonomous mechanism for conducting the exam.
NEET-UG Paper Leak
On May 12, the NTA cancelled the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (Undergraduate), or NEET, held on May 3 for medical admissions amid allegations of paper leak, impacting millions of medical aspirants. A re-examination has been scheduled for June 21.
The matter intensified amid demands for a court-monitored investigation and closer scrutiny of the NTA’s examination procedures, bringing concerns over exam security and transparency into sharp focus.
The government has asked the CBI to carry out a comprehensive inquiry into the “irregularities” into the examination. So far, 11 accused have been arrested in this case from Delhi, Jaipur, Gurugram, Nasik, Pune, Latur and Ahliyanagar.
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