Supreme Court Calls for Overhaul of NEET Testing Agency Amid Paper Leak Concerns

The Supreme Court has voiced its disappointment with the National Testing Agency's handling of the NEET exam, particularly in light of recent paper leak allegations. The court is seeking responses from the NTA, Centre, and CBI regarding calls for a more robust and independent body to oversee the medical entrance examination. FAIMA has urged for immediate restructuring of the NTA, citing violations of students' rights due to recurring leaks. The court has also directed a committee led by a former ISRO chief to report on compliance with previous recommendations. This situation follows the cancellation of the NEET-UG exam amid serious allegations, now under CBI investigation.

By Narendra Chaudhary May 25, 2026, 12:49 IST

Supreme Court's Concerns Over NEET Exam Integrity

File image of NEET-UG aspirants protesting against NTA paper leaks. (Photo: PTI)

New Delhi, May 25: The Supreme Court expressed disappointment on Monday regarding the National Testing Agency's (NTA) failure to learn from previous NEET paper leak incidents. The court has requested responses from the Centre, NTA, and the CBI concerning calls for replacing the NTA with a more robust and independent organization to oversee the medical entrance examination.

A bench comprising Justices PS Narasimha and Alok Aradhe instructed that copies of the petitions be provided to Solicitor General Tushar Mehta and other involved parties. The NTA, responsible for administering the NEET exam, has been ordered to submit an affidavit by Thursday detailing compliance with the court's directives from 2024.

"It is unfortunate that they have not taken the necessary lessons from past experiences. This issue has previously reached this court. A committee was established, and its recommendations were accepted. We expect the NTA to provide an affidavit outlining the actions taken to comply with these recommendations," the bench remarked.

The Supreme Court has acknowledged a plea from the Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA), represented by lawyer Tanvi Dubey, and is consolidating similar cases.

The court has also directed the Centre-appointed committee, led by former ISRO chief K Radhakrishnan, to report on the measures taken to implement its recommendations regarding the NTA's operations.

FAIMA has urged the court to directly restructure or replace the NTA with a more effective and autonomous body to manage the NEET-UG, citing a "direct assault" on the fundamental rights of over 22.7 lakh students due to repeated paper leaks.

Additionally, the association has requested the establishment of a high-powered monitoring committee to oversee the re-examination process until a new body is officially formed. This committee should include a retired Supreme Court judge as chair, along with a cybersecurity expert and a forensic scientist to prevent future leaks.

The NEET-UG, conducted by the NTA on May 3 for medical program admissions, was canceled on May 12 amid allegations of a paper leak, which is currently under investigation by the CBI.