Supreme Court Demands Accountability After NEET-UG Paper Leak

The Supreme Court of India criticized the National Testing Agency (NTA) for systemic failures and "ad-hocism" following the cancellation of the May 3, 2026, NEET-UG examination due to paper leaks. A bench led by Justice P.S. Narasimha noted that the leak traumatized approximately 23 lakh students and their families, emphasizing that actual accountability must be fixed to prevent future failures.

In response, the NTA detailed security reforms, including mandatory CCTV checks with 90-day footage preservation, the creation of 16 senior-level posts, and the establishment of 621 district-level coordination committees. The agency also announced that NEET-UG will transition from a pen-and-paper format to a computer-based test (CBT) mode starting in 2027, incorporating multi-session testing and AI-based translation tools.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta informed the court that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is personally supervising the situation. Meanwhile, the Central Bureau of Investigation is probing the leak and has arrested at least 11 individuals. The court directed the Ministry of Education to file an affidavit within six weeks outlining a plan to create permanent institutional memory and employ specialized personnel, citing the Union Public Service Commission as a model for efficiency.

A re-examination is scheduled for June 21, 2026. The court will resume hearings on the matter in the second week of July.