NEET-UG 2026 Exam Cancellation: What Led to the Supreme Court's Involvement?

Supreme Court Reviews NEET-UG 2026 Cancellation

In a significant development, the National Testing Agency (NTA) informed the Supreme Court that the decision to annul the NEET-UG 2026 examination and conduct a re-test was made to safeguard students' interests and maintain public trust in the examination system.

In an affidavit submitted to the Supreme Court amidst petitions advocating for reforms in NEET-UG administration, the NTA emphasized that the cancellation of the May 3 exam and the referral of the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) underscored its commitment to upholding examination integrity.

The affidavit stated, "The cancellation of the NEET (UG) 2026 examination conducted on May 3, 2026, and the subsequent referral to the CBI for investigation reflect the seriousness with which the NTA and the Government of India regard examination integrity."

The NTA further noted that this decision was made to protect students' interests and uphold the trust foundational to the national examination system.

This affidavit was filed in response to the Supreme Court's directive on May 25, which required the NTA to report on the implementation status of recommendations from a high-powered committee led by former ISRO Chairman K. Radhakrishnan, following the NEET-UG 2024 controversy.

The NTA reported that the May 3 examination took place at 5,432 centers across 552 cities in India and 14 international locations, with over 2.2 million candidates participating under a fortified security framework that included biometric verification, AI-assisted CCTV monitoring, and mobile jammers.

On the evening of May 7, the NTA received reports of alleged malpractice and promptly escalated the issue to central agencies for verification the following morning. Based on the findings from these agencies, the examination was canceled, and the CBI was tasked with a thorough investigation.

Defending its actions, the NTA asserted that it acted in good faith, with due diligence, and in accordance with legal standards to protect the integrity of the examination process and the interests of legitimate candidates.

The NTA also confirmed its full cooperation with the CBI during the ongoing investigation.

Additionally, the NTA informed the Supreme Court that the re-examination is set for June 21 and will be conducted under an even more stringent security framework, with enhanced collaboration among Chief Secretaries, Directors General of Police, District Magistrates, the Department of Posts, and other relevant authorities.

The agency highlighted that extensive reforms proposed by the Radhakrishnan committee have either been implemented or are nearing completion, including Aadhaar-based biometric authentication, AI-driven CCTV monitoring, mobile jammers at all exam centers, multi-tier oversight mechanisms, and institutional coordination with state and district authorities.

Moreover, the NTA reiterated that the expert committee recommended transitioning NEET-UG from a pen-and-paper format to a computer-based test (CBT) format, which is set to be implemented in the next examination cycle in consultation with the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

Earlier this week, the Supreme Court issued notices to the Centre, the NTA, and other relevant authorities regarding pleas for structural reforms in NEET-UG administration and an immediate shift to CBT mode, noting that concerns about examination integrity had resurfaced despite lessons learned from the 2024 controversy.

During the hearing on Friday, the case was postponed as Solicitor General Tushar Mehta was engaged with another Bench.