Supreme Court Questions NTA Over NEET-UG Paper Leak, PM Modi Monitoring Probe
- By Thetripurapost Desk, New Delhi
- May 29, 2026
- 30
The Supreme Court on Friday observed that incidents like the NEET-UG paper leak would continue to occur unless strict accountability is fixed on those responsible for conducting the examination process. During the hearing, the apex court sharply questioned the National Testing Agency (NTA), pointing out that the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) conducts examinations on a much larger scale without facing such paper leak controversies. The bench remarked that the NTA should learn from the UPSC’s examination management system.
Appearing on behalf of the Centre, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta informed the court that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is personally monitoring the investigation into the NEET-UG paper leak case to ensure there are no lapses in the probe or corrective measures.
Justice Narasimha, while hearing the matter, sought detailed information from the Ministry of Education regarding the process adopted for conducting the NEET-UG re-examination. Responding to the court’s queries, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta stated that several major reforms and corrective measures have already been introduced following the paper leak controversy.
He emphasized that the government is deeply concerned about the future of students and that new security mechanisms and monitoring systems have been implemented for the upcoming NEET-UG re-test.
The NEET-UG examination was conducted across the country on May 3. Reports regarding the alleged question paper leak surfaced on the evening of May 7, triggering nationwide outrage among students and parents. Subsequently, the examination was cancelled on May 12, and authorities announced that the re-examination would be conducted on June 21.
During the hearing of petitions demanding the restructuring or dissolution of the NTA, the Supreme Court also questioned Dr. K. Radhakrishnan, former ISRO chairman and head of the high-powered committee constituted after the 2024 NEET paper leak incident. The court sought clarification on why such failures occurred again despite earlier recommendations and institutional reforms.
Dr. Radhakrishnan informed the bench that the majority of the committee’s recommendations had already been implemented by the authorities. He stated that the NEET-PG 2025 examination was conducted successfully and assured the court that all shortcomings identified this year are being addressed before the forthcoming NEET-UG re-test.
The Supreme Court further remarked that the NTA does not currently appear to be functioning as a sufficiently stable and robust institution. The bench asked the central government to clarify what concrete steps are being taken to strengthen the examination body and restore public confidence.
The court also suggested that the NTA should seek technical assistance and expert guidance from premier institutions such as the IITs and other leading academic organizations to ensure secure, transparent, and tamper-proof examinations in the future.
The NEET-UG examination held on May 3 was conducted in 551 cities across India and at 14 international centres abroad. Approximately 2.3 million candidates appeared for the examination, making it one of the largest entrance tests in the country.
According to the NTA, reports of irregularities emerged on the evening of May 7, after which the matter was referred to central investigative agencies.
Following the cancellation of the examination on May 12, the Ministry of Education and the NTA officially announced on May 15 that the re-examination would be conducted on May 21. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is currently probing the alleged paper leak and related irregularities. So far, 13 individuals have been arrested in connection with the case.
The National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) is India’s national-level entrance examination for admission to undergraduate medical and dental courses. Introduced in 2013, the examination serves as the single gateway for admission to MBBS, BDS, AYUSH courses including BAMS and BHMS, as well as nursing programmes across government and private medical institutions nationwide.
NEET also facilitates admissions to premier medical institutions such as AIIMS and JIPMER. At present, India has more than 100,000 MBBS seats and over 27,000 BDS seats across various medical and dental colleges.
Students and parents across the country are closely following the latest developments related to the NEET-UG controversy. For more updates on medical entrance examinations and education-related developments, readers can visit Official NTA Website – https://nta.ac.in, NEET Official Portal – https://neet.nta.nic.in
According to the National Testing Agency (NTA), multiple corrective measures are being implemented to strengthen the examination system and ensure transparency in future medical entrance tests. For more information visit The Tripura Post