The Supreme Court has criticized the Centre over the recent NEET leaks, terming the cancellation of the exam as 'very traumatic'. The court has directed the Union government to ensure that such incidents do not recur in the future.
A bench of justices PS Narasimha and Alok Aradhe questioned the National Testing Agency's (NTA) lack of accountability mechanisms and institutional continuity. The court observed that recurring failures despite last year's reforms indicated deeper institutional shortcomings within the examination system.
The court has asked the Union government to file a comprehensive affidavit detailing how future examinations would be conducted and what permanent institutional mechanisms would be created within the NTA.
The NTA has informed the court that it is actively considering transitioning NEET-UG from the present pen-and-paper format to a computer-based test (CBT) mode. The agency has also implemented several long-term reforms, including creation of secure testing centres, AI-based CCTV monitoring, and blockchain-backed security infrastructure.
The investigation into the alleged NEET-UG 2026 irregularities is currently being handled by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which has arrested 13 accused so far in connection with the paper leak and cheating cases linked to the examination.
