Supreme Court to hear NEET leak case; Centre weighs IAF role in paper transport
Even as the Supreme Court prepares to hear pleas over the NEET paper leak controversy, the government is weighing military-backed transport for exam papers while key agencies are yet to respond before the court.
The Supreme Court is set to hear crucial petitions in the NEET-UG paper leak case on Friday, even as the Centre explores using Indian Air Force aircraft to transport question papers for the June 21 retest in an attempt to prevent another controversy.
The hearing assumes significance because petitions filed by the Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) and the United Doctors Front (UDF) have sought the dissolution of the National Testing Agency (NTA), a court-monitored computer-based testing system for future exams and a CBI investigation into the alleged leak.
The Supreme Court had issued notices earlier this week. However, no replies have yet been filed by the Centre, NTA or the Central Bureau of Investigation.
The developments come amid mounting scrutiny over the conduct of one of India’s biggest entrance examinations, which affects lakhs of medical aspirants across the country.
GOVERNMENT EXPLORES IAF OPTION
As pressure builds over the integrity of the retest process, the government is now considering deploying the Indian Air Force for the transportation of NEET-UG question papers.
According to official sources, the proposal was discussed during a high-level meeting chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and attended by Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia.
Senior officials discussed whether IAF aircraft could be used to securely transport examination papers for the June 21 retest.
No final decision has been taken so far, and the proposal is expected to be placed before Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a final view.
Sources said the Prime Minister has been personally monitoring preparations related to the retest and is receiving regular updates on the examination process.
Thursday’s meeting reportedly reviewed every stage of the examination chain, from setting question papers and printing to transportation and security arrangements.
NTA Director General Abhishek Singh and senior officials from the Education Ministry were also present during the discussions.
LEAK ALLEGATIONS SPARKED NATIONWIDE OUTRAGE
NEET-UG was conducted on May 3 across 551 cities in India and 14 overseas centres. Nearly 23 lakh candidates had registered for the examination conducted by the NTA.
According to the agency, information regarding alleged malpractices surfaced on the evening of May 7, four days after the exam.
The NTA said the inputs were immediately shared with central agencies for verification and action.
Amid growing outrage and allegations of paper leaks, the NTA cancelled the examination on May 12 and announced a retest for June 21.
CBI STEPS UP PROBE
The CBI registered a case based on a complaint from the Department of Higher Education under the Ministry of Education.
The agency subsequently formed special investigation teams, carried out searches across multiple states and made several arrests.
So far, 13 accused have been arrested from Delhi, Jaipur, Gurugram, Nasik, Pune, Latur and Ahilyanagar.
The CBI had earlier said the investigation had traced the “actual source” of the question paper leak.
Friday’s Supreme Court hearing is now expected to become a major flashpoint in the widening NEET controversy, with demands growing for sweeping reforms in the examination system and stricter safeguards to restore public trust.