NEET Paper Leak Case: SC Slams NTA for Repeated Negligence

The Supreme Court of India has expressed strong displeasure with the National Testing Agency (NTA) over its handling of the NEET-UG paper leak controversy, stating that the agency has failed to learn from its past mistakes. The observation came during a hearing on Monday, where the court reviewed multiple petitions related to the alleged irregularities in the examination process. A bench comprising Justices P.S. Narasimha and Alok Aradhe remarked that it was “sad” that the NTA had not taken adequate lessons from earlier incidents of paper leaks, despite the matter having reached the Supreme Court in 2024. The court noted that a committee had been formed at that time and several recommendations were issued and accepted, but their implementation now appears insufficient. Taking a serious view of the matter, the Supreme Court directed the NTA to submit an affidavit by Thursday. The affidavit must detail the steps taken to comply with the 2024 directives as well as the recommendations of the monitoring committee. The court also clarified that all related petitions filed by groups including the Federation of All India Medical Associations (FAIMA) and the United Doctors Front (UDF) would be heard together. The next hearing in the case is scheduled for May 29. Meanwhile, medical associations have intensified their criticism of the NTA. FAIMA and UDF have strongly argued that the current structure of the NTA is not capable of ensuring transparency in high-stakes examinations like NEET-UG. They have demanded either the complete dissolution of the NTA or a major restructuring of the system. According to these organizations, repeated incidents of paper leaks are not only damaging the credibility of the examination process but are also violating the fundamental rights of more than 22.7 lakh students who appear for NEET. They have proposed the formation of a new, strong, and autonomous body to conduct the examination in a more secure and transparent manner. In addition, they have suggested that until a new system is established, a high-powered monitoring committee should oversee the re-examination process. This committee, they recommend, should be headed by a retired Supreme Court judge and include cybersecurity experts and forensic specialists to prevent any further malpractice or leaks. The NEET-UG exam in question was conducted on May 3 across 551 cities in India and 14 international centers, with around 2.3 million candidates appearing. However, irregularities were reported on May 7, prompting an investigation by central agencies. Subsequently, the examination was cancelled on May 12, and a re-exam was announced for May 21 by the Ministry of Education and the NTA. The Supreme Court’s sharp remarks and the growing demand for reform highlight increasing concerns over the integrity of national-level entrance examinations in India.