Supreme Court Questions NTA Over NEET Paper Leak Handling

The Supreme Court on Monday raised serious concerns over the handling of the NEET UG 2026 paper leak issue, questioning whether the National Testing Agency has taken any meaningful lessons from earlier controversies. The court observed that despite previous interventions and recommendations, repeated incidents continue to surface, putting the examination process under scrutiny.

The issue gained attention after allegations emerged that the NEET UG 2026 question paper, for the examination conducted across the country on May 3, had been leaked. The matter has triggered fresh criticism against the National Testing Agency, especially since a similar controversy had already shaken the examination system in 2024.

During the hearing, the bench expressed dissatisfaction with the agency’s approach and pointed out that the matter had reached the Supreme Court even in the past. The judges recalled that a monitoring committee had earlier been formed and several recommendations were accepted by the agency. The court now wants to know what specific steps were actually taken to implement those recommendations.

The Supreme Court directed the NTA to file an affidavit by Thursday explaining the measures adopted after the earlier paper leak episode and detailing the actions taken to prevent similar incidents. The bench remarked that it was disappointing to see that failures from the past had not resulted in stronger reforms.

Meanwhile, the Federation of All India Medical Association had approached the court seeking the establishment of an independent body to oversee medical entrance examinations instead of leaving the responsibility solely with the National Testing Agency.

The court also issued notices to the Centre and the CBI, asking them to submit their responses on the matter as the case continues to draw national attention.