By NE NOW NEWS
Guwahati: The Supreme Court on Friday observed that the NEET-UG 2024 and 2026 paper leak incidents had caused deep emotional distress to students and their families, underlining the need for stronger institutional systems within bodies like the National Testing Agency (NTA) to ensure accountability and continuity.
According to the bench led by Justice P.S. Narasimha, such incidents wipe out years of preparation and emotional effort invested by students and parents, though the court noted that the problem can still be addressed through reforms.
The judges pointed out that several government institutions, including the NTA, struggle with frequent staff transfers, which results in loss of experience and weak continuity in functioning.
They further explained that when officials move between postings, their practical knowledge often does not remain within the organisation, making it important for institutions themselves to retain and build upon past experience.
The court instructed the Ministry of Education to submit a detailed affidavit within six weeks, outlining steps to prevent examination leaks and improve the NTA’s internal systems.
It also sought clarity on how the ministry plans to retain trained personnel, preserve institutional knowledge, and strengthen the diversity of expertise involved in conducting NEET exams.
Focusing on the need for long-term stability, the bench said the NTA should be equipped both technically and administratively to ensure that such incidents are not repeated, and scheduled the next hearing for the second week of July.
The court also stressed that responsibility must be clearly fixed, stating that institutions should not allow accountability to remain vague but must identify specific officials in charge of duties.
During the hearing, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta informed the court that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was personally reviewing measures aimed at making the NEET-UG examination system more secure.
The cancellation of NEET-UG 2026, conducted on May 3, left nearly 23 lakh candidates uncertain about their academic future.
In its submission, the NTA told the court that corrective steps had been taken after the paper leak incidents and that both the cancellation of the exam and the CBI probe reflected the seriousness of the issue.
It added that the decision to cancel the examination was taken to protect students’ interests and maintain confidence in the national testing system, while confirming full cooperation with the ongoing investigation.
The agency also informed the court that major changes have been introduced in the examination process, including paper setting, printing systems, transportation, and storage mechanisms.
Among the changes, multiple sets of question papers are now being used, with one kept as a reserve, while the earlier A, B, C, D format has been replaced with new coding systems and varied answer sequences.
Printing procedures have been tightened with stricter supervision, monitoring systems, and senior-level oversight, along with a ban on electronic devices and mandatory preservation of CCTV footage.
For logistics, question papers are now moved through India Post under a secured chain system, with Central Armed Police Forces providing escorts from printing centres to nodal points, after which district authorities ensure delivery to examination centres.
The NTA also described revised storage arrangements, under which sealed question paper trunks are kept under strict supervision and opened only shortly before the exam in controlled environments.
In addition, confidential handling systems have been upgraded, including isolated rooms for paper setters without internet or mobile access, strict destruction of rough work, and encrypted storage of sensitive data on central servers.
The commission informed the court that the re-examination scheduled for June 21 will follow a strengthened SOP framework involving multi-layer checks, enhanced monitoring, and coordination among agencies.
K. Radhakrishnan, chairperson of the High Powered Steering Committee on NTA reforms, told the court that a systematic overhaul of NEET-UG processes is underway, adding that the 2025 exam was conducted smoothly based on expert recommendations.