NEET paper leak case: Supreme Court directs Centre, NTA to file affidavit

The Supreme Court has directed the central government and the National Testing Agency to file a detailed affidavit regarding the conduct of examinations and institutional mechanisms following the NEET paper leak. During the hearing, the court questioned the monitoring committee head on how the leak occurred despite existing safeguards. The central government informed the court that the Prime Minister is personally supervising the issue. The National Testing Agency defended its actions, citing the implementation of artificial intelligence-based randomisation and background checks for the upcoming retest on June 21. Meanwhile, a parliamentary review meeting is underway to discuss the crisis with top education and investigative officials. In a bid to prevent further leaks, a high-level committee chaired by the Defence Minister is considering a proposal to deploy the Indian Air Force to transport question papers, replacing the postal service. The Education Minister acknowledged the lapses, assuring that the government takes full responsibility, will refund fees for the cancelled exam, and ensure a secure retest across all centres.