The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education, Women, Children, Youth and Sports is set to hold back-to-back meetings in New Delhi on 2 June and 3 June 2025 to deliberate on critical concerns surrounding NEET, the National Testing Agency (NTA), CBSE examination reforms, and broader education policy — all against the backdrop of the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak controversy.

Day One: NEET and NTA Under the Lens

The first session, beginning at 11:00 am on Monday, will focus on issues related to NEET and the NTA, including the long-running debate over whether national entrance examinations should continue in the traditional pen-and-paper mode or shift to Computer-Based Tests (CBTs). Stakeholder concerns and suggestions regarding the examination process will also be tabled for discussion.

Attendees are expected to include the Secretary of the Department of Higher Education, the Secretary of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the Director General of the NTA, and Dr. (Major) Gulshan Garg, representing the United Doctors Front.

Day Two: CBSE On-Screen Marking and Three-Language Formula

On 3 June, also commencing at 11:00 am, the Committee will shift focus to the implementation of On-Screen Marking (OSM) in Class 12 CBSE examinations and the challenges students have faced as a result. The panel will additionally review the status of the Three-Language Formula rollout in Classes 9 and 10.

The Secretary of the Department of School Education and Literacy and the Chairman of the CBSE are scheduled to attend this session.

NEET-UG 2026 Paper Leak: The Context Driving Urgency

These deliberations come amid heightened scrutiny of the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak case. During a Committee meeting on 29 May, members reportedly emphasised the need to protect the sanctity of the NEET-UG examination and plug systemic loopholes, while reviewing the ongoing probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

The NTA had announced the cancellation of the NEET-UG examination on 12 May, triggering widespread distress among lakhs of candidates and their families. A re-examination is scheduled for 21 June 2025, with admit cards expected to be released by 14 June.

Last week, the Standing Committee also sought a progress update from the NTA Director General on the leak investigation and preventive measures going forward. According to sources, the NTA chief informed members that the leak did not originate from the agency's own systems and that the CBI was actively investigating the source of the compromised question paper.

CBT Transition and Arrests in the Leak Case

The Committee has also been reviewing the preparedness for transitioning NEET-UG to a fully computer-based format from next year, examining infrastructure requirements, examination frequency, and duration. As part of the CBI investigation into the paper leak, 13 individuals have so far been arrested — including a doctor from Latur and a faculty member associated with a Pune-based coaching institute.

With the re-examination weeks away and institutional credibility on the line, the outcome of these parliamentary sessions is likely to shape the near-term reform trajectory for India's high-stakes entrance examination ecosystem.