The Supreme Court on Monday, 25 May issued notices to the Centre, the National Testing Agency (NTA), and other authorities on petitions demanding structural overhaul of the NEET-UG examination — including an immediate shift to computer-based testing (CBT) — following the alleged NEET-UG 2026 paper leak controversy. The apex court's sharp rebuke signals deepening judicial impatience with the examination body's repeated integrity failures.

Court's Remarks and Key Directions

A Bench of Justices P.S. Narasimha and Alok Aradhe did not mince words. 'It's sad that they have not learnt their lesson,' the Bench orally observed, recalling that a high-powered committee had already been constituted after the NEET-UG 2024 controversy, its recommendations had been accepted, and a monitoring mechanism had been put in place — yet concerns over examination integrity had resurfaced.

The Bench directed the NTA to file an affidavit clarifying the current status of compliance with recommendations of the monitoring committee constituted on 14 November 2024, including details of its functioning. Separately, Prof. K. Radhakrishnan, Chairman of the high-powered committee and former ISRO Chairman, was directed to submit a personal affidavit on steps taken to implement the panel's recommendations and comply with earlier court directions.

Copies of the petitions were directed to be served on Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, the Centre's second-highest law officer. The matter is listed for further hearing on Friday, 29 May.

What the Petitions Demand

The petitions — filed by the Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) and the United Doctors Front, among others — seek wide-ranging accountability and systemic reforms. Key demands include an immediate transition of NEET-UG to a fully computer-based test (CBT) mode, arguing that the existing pen-and-paper framework, which involves physical printing, transportation, and storage of confidential material, remains 'inherently vulnerable'.

Notably, the petitions point out that the Union government had already publicly announced a planned NEET-UG transition to CBT from 2027 — which, they argue, itself amounts to an acknowledgement that technological reform is necessary. The petitioners contend the examination has continued under 'substantially the same pen-and-paper framework' despite post-2024 recommendations.

Calls to Dissolve or Replace the NTA

One petition challenged the 'systemic failure' of the NTA and sought dissolution of the agency in its present form as a society registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860. Another sought its replacement with a 'new independent, transparent and professionally regulated National Examination Authority' with statutory accountability, judicial oversight, and advanced technological safeguards.

The petitions also sought constitution of a court-monitored committee to oversee national examination reforms, along with implementation of encrypted digital paper transmission, biometric verification, AI-based surveillance, and stricter cybersecurity protocols.

The 2026 Controversy and the Pattern It Follows

The immediate trigger is the alleged circulation of 'guess papers' ahead of the NEET-UG examination held on 3 May 2026, which was subsequently cancelled on 12 May 2026. The petitions argue this is part of a recurring pattern affecting national-level competitive examinations, not an isolated incident.

The petitions also sought strict criminal prosecution of those allegedly involved in paper leaks and organised cheating rackets, and called for a status report from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on the progress of its investigation into the alleged NEET-UG 2026 paper leak.

What Comes Next

With the matter returning before the Supreme Court on 29 May, the NTA and Prof. Radhakrishnan's affidavits will be closely watched. The court's tone suggests it may not accept procedural compliance as a substitute for substantive reform — and the question of whether NEET-UG's CBT transition can be accelerated beyond the government's own 2027 timeline may well be on the table.