NEET paper leak row Live: Learn from UPSC, which never faced a paper leak, Supreme Court tells NTA

NTA told the Supreme Court it implemented over 100 recommendations to strengthen exam security after the NEET controversy.

But the court appeared unconvinced, stressing that stronger systems alone cannot solve recurring failures unless accountability becomes institutional, not temporary.

As the hearing progresses, the Supreme Court appears to be shifting focus from immediate fixes to long-term institutional reform and accountability. While NTA, the High-Level Committee and the Centre have cited reforms, stronger security and expert involvement, the Court has stressed the need for clear responsibility, institutional memory and permanent safeguards.

It also acknowledged the emotional and academic burden on students and families, noting, “It is traumatic for the students and families… We must rectify this.” The outcome is expected to shape the future governance of NTA and the conduct of national exams like NEET-UG.

SC asks the Union government to file an affidavit in the NEET paper leak case.

The Court took on record the affidavits filed by NTA and Dr Radhakrishnan, while granting the Centre additional time to submit its response. NTA informed the Court that steps are being taken to tighten exam security, and some measures will be implemented in the upcoming re-test.

The Supreme Court observed that institutions must ensure a proper framework, noting that ad hoc measures only create further problems.

The Supreme Court asks whether the mechanism has been institutionalised and stresses the need for institutional memory.

Dr Radhakrishnan said it was earlier identified that there were not enough domain experts. He added that experts involved in IIT-JEE and Kendriya Vidyalaya (KV) examinations have now been brought in to strengthen the system.

Supreme Court: The real problem will not stop until actual accountability is fixed, the Court observed.

Accountability, it said, should not be limited to naming someone as liable, but must clearly define where responsibility lies.

The Court noted that while collective responsibility exists, in situations like this, unless specific responsibility is identified, it only leads to committees and repeated meetings without clarity on who is actually accountable.

Supreme Court: “What was not in the contemplation of the committee that allowed this to occur?”

High-Level Committee Chairman Dr Radhakrishnan said the issue lay in the setting of the question paper. He added that the paper-setting process is now being strengthened, assuring that such lapses will not recur in the re-test.

“Our target is reform,” he said.

The Supreme Court asked the High-Powered Committee chair to explain how the leak occurred in the NEET case.

“If there is monitoring, how did the failure occur?” the Court observed.

The Supreme Court has begun the hearing process of NEET UG 2026.

The controversy intensified after reports claimed that 135 questions from the circulated question bank allegedly matched the actual NEET paper. According to an India Today report, all 90 Biology questions and all 45 Chemistry questions were allegedly found in the circulated material. The report said the questions accounted for nearly 600 marks out of NEET’s total 720 marks.

Officials, however, maintained that investigators were still trying to determine whether it was an unusually accurate “guess paper” or evidence of an actual leak.

What began as murmurs over a suspected “guess paper” has escalated into one of India’s biggest exam controversies. As the Supreme Court hears key pleas in the NEET-UG paper leak case, petitioners are demanding the dissolution of NTA and a CBI probe.

The row triggered nationwide outrage, detentions, political backlash, and a Rajasthan Police investigation, eventually leading to the cancellation of NEET UG 2026 on May 12. Ahead of the June 21 re-exam, the Centre is even considering deploying Indian Air Force aircraft to securely transport question papers. Here's the timeline of events.

The affidavit noted that a meeting held on April 17 proposed an elaborate set of pre-examination, during-examination, and post-examination safeguards to strengthen the conduct of national-level tests. Under the oversight of the High-Level Committee, the NTA said it has already implemented, or is in advanced stages of implementing, a substantial number of recommendations outlined in the HLCE report.

NTA files affidavit before Supreme Court in NEET exam leak case; says it is committed to upholding the integrity, transparency, fairness, and credibility of every examination entrusted to it.

The National Testing Agency (NTA) has extended the deadline for submitting bank account details for the NEET UG 2026 fee refund process. Candidates can now update their details on the official registration portal till June 22, 2026, up to 11:50 pm. The extension comes after the agency noticed that several candidates were yet to complete the process. Earlier, the facility was available from May 22 to May 27.

The Supreme Court on Monday (May 25) pulled up the National Testing Agency (NTA) over the NEET 2026 paper leak controversy, observing that it was disappointing the agency appeared not to have learned from past mistakes. The court sought responses from the Centre, the NTA, and the CBI on pleas demanding the creation of a stronger and more independent body to conduct NEET examinations.

On May 7, the NTA confirmed that it had received input regarding alleged malpractice. The agency said the matter had been flagged from Rajasthan and Uttarakhand. This marked the first official indication that authorities were taking the complaints seriously.

On May 13, reports claimed that 135 questions from the circulated question bank allegedly matched the actual NEET UG paper. According to the India Today report, all 90 Biology questions and all 45 Chemistry questions were allegedly found in the circulated material. The report said the questions accounted for nearly 600 marks out of NEET’s total 720 marks. Officials, however, maintained that the investigation was still trying to determine whether it was an unusually accurate “guess paper” or evidence of an actual leak.

Amid growing concerns over exam integrity, the government is considering deploying Indian Air Force aircraft to transport NEET-UG re-exam question papers for the June 21 retest. The proposal was discussed during a high-level meeting attended by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, and Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia. Officials believe the move could strengthen security and ensure the timely delivery of papers amid the ongoing paper leak controversy.

In India, the dream of becoming a doctor often carries the weight of family expectations, making NEET-UG one of the country's most high-pressure examinations. With over 20 lakh aspirants competing for limited medical seats, disruptions such as paper leaks or exam cancellations can have a profound impact on students.

An analysis of media reports by India Today's OSINT team traced at least 93 reported NEET-linked student suicides over the past five years. The number rose steadily from four cases in 2021 to a peak of 32 in 2025. In 2026, at least 14 such deaths have already been reported, including five since the exam's cancellation was announced on May 12, highlighting the immense pressure associated with India's largest medical entrance test.

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said the government was making every effort to ensure a fair and secure NEET re-examination process and warned that those responsible for irregularities or paper leaks would face strict action. Speaking to India Today, he called the NEET and CBSE controversies “deeply unfortunate”, admitted responsibility, and said steps were being taken to prevent such lapses from happening again.

The National Testing Agency (NTA) on May 22 told the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education that no full-fledged paper leak occurred in the controversial NEET-UG 2026 examination, insisting that "only certain questions came out". The central agency, which conducts the examination, claimed that it was instances of malpractice that prompted the cancellation of the exam, sources said.

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said the NEET re-examination would be held on June 21 and that extensive security arrangements were being put in place. He said the government was adopting a “whole of government” approach involving both the Centre and state governments to secure every stage of the examination process, from preparation of question papers to the safe return of papers after the examination.

NEET UG 2026 was conducted on May 3 for over 22 lakh medical aspirants across the country. The NTA later said the exam was conducted under “full security protocol”, including: GPS-tracked paper transport, biometric verification, AI-assisted CCTV monitoring, and 5G jammers at centres.

The CBI has arrested a doctor from Latur and a coaching institute faculty member from Pune in connection with the alleged NEET-UG 2026 paper leak case. With these latest arrests, the total number of accused taken into custody has risen to 13. Investigators allege that the network was involved in circulating exam questions ahead of the entrance test.

In the wake of the NEET 2026 paper leak controversy, the Centre has significantly strengthened oversight of the upcoming re-examination process. Officials from the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) will closely monitor every stage of the operation, including question paper setting, printing, transportation and final delivery to examination centres.

The move was finalised during a high-level meeting held at Defence Minister Rajnath Singh's residence in New Delhi, as the government works to ensure a secure and leak-proof conduct of the June 21 NEET-UG re-test.

Pulling up the National Testing Agency (NTA) over the NEET 2026 paper leak row, the Supreme Court on Monday said it was disappointing that the agency seemed not to have learned from past mistakes. The court sought replies from the Centre, the NTA and the CBI on pleas seeking the creation of a stronger, independent body to conduct NEET.

The bench pointed out that recommendations made by an earlier monitoring committee had already been accepted and asked the NTA to explain what action had been taken to implement them. It directed the agency to submit an affidavit outlining the compliance measures adopted so far.

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said the government was leaving no stone unturned to ensure a fair NEET re-examination and warned that those behind any paper leaks or irregularities would not be spared.

Speaking to India Today, Pradhan termed the controversies surrounding the NEET and CBSE exams "deeply unfortunate" and said the Centre had accepted responsibility while taking steps to ensure such incidents are not repeated.

The government is considering using Indian Air Force aircraft to transport NEET-UG re-exam question papers for the June 21 retest. The proposal was discussed at a high-level meeting attended by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia.

Officials believe the move could help ensure the secure and timely delivery of exam papers amid concerns over exam integrity.

The Supreme Court will today hear petitions arising from the NEET-UG paper-leak controversy, a case that has shaken confidence in India’s flagship medical entrance exam and prompted calls for sweeping reforms.

The petitions, filed by the Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) and the United Doctors Front (UDF), demand dissolution of the National Testing Agency (NTA), imposition of a court-monitored computer-based testing system for future exams, and a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the alleged leak.