'We shouldn’t fail our youngsters': SC on NEET paper leak, demands accountability

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday said “we should not disappoint our youngsters” while stressing that the core problem surrounding the NEET-UG medical entrance examination would not stop until “actual accountability arises”.

A bench of Justices P S Narasimha and Alok Aradhe made the observation while hearing petitions, including one seeking directions to replace or restructure the National Testing Agency (NTA) with a stronger and autonomous body to conduct the exam.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the court that the government is seriously concerned about students’ issues and that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is personally supervising the situation to ensure “there is no lacuna”.

He also informed the bench that new mechanisms have been put in place for the NEET-UG re-test scheduled for June 21. He said it would not be appropriate to disclose details as it could affect the process, adding that the matter is being monitored at the highest executive level.

The court said, “We should not disappoint our youngsters,” and noted that such incidents are traumatic not only for students but also for their families, as they invest significant emotional energy in the process.

The court stressed that most institutions currently function in an ad-hoc manner and said the focus should be on strengthening institutional capability rather than individuals.

It also compared the situation with the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), saying such paper leak incidents had not occurred there, and observed that the National Testing Agency (NTA) must learn from such institutions.

The bench noted that following its May 25 order, the Director (Legal) of the NTA had filed an affidavit. It said it would examine the affidavit and continue monitoring the matter.

It also recorded that Dr K Radhakrishnan, former ISRO chairman and head of the high-powered steering committee on NTA reforms, had filed an affidavit outlining implementation of recommendations and future steps.

The court asked the Centre to file an affidavit explaining how the examination process will be conducted year after year, and how “institutional memory through continuity of human resource, institutional expertise through deployment of specialised personnel and institutional plurality by composition of experts” will be ensured.

It said the aim is to ensure that the NTA has both the physical and intellectual capacity to prevent incidents like those seen in 2024 or 2026. The Centre has been directed to file the affidavit within six weeks, and the matter will be heard again in the second week of July.

During the hearing, the bench also questioned Dr Radhakrishnan, asking how much monitoring had taken place in implementing reforms and how the failure occurred despite oversight.

Radhakrishnan said many recommendations had already been initiated and that the 2025 NEET-UG was conducted “almost satisfactorily”, with only a few incidents such as power failures at examination centres.

The court also noted that the NEET-UG 2025 exam, conducted on May 3, was cancelled on May 12 amid allegations of a paper leak, and a re-exam has been scheduled for June 21.

The paper leak allegations are currently being investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

In earlier proceedings, the Supreme Court had refused to cancel the 2024 NEET-UG exam despite leak allegations but issued directions to address vulnerabilities and reduce such risks in future examinations. It had also sought responses from the Centre, NTA and CBI on pleas demanding replacement of the testing agency.

The petitions include one filed by the Federation of All India Medical Association through advocate Tanvi Dubey.