Replace NTA, hold exam under judicial supervision: Key demands of medical body in Supreme Court post NEET paper leak
In its plea, FAIMA has stated that the widespread paper leak and subsequent cancellation of the NEET-UG 2026 examination reflected a 'systemic failure' on the part of NTA.
The Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) on May 13 moved the Supreme Court seeking reforms in the NEET-UG examination system. (Image generated using AI) NEET-UG paper leak: The Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) moved the Supreme Court on May 13 seeking a slew of reforms in the NEET-UG examination system after the cancellation of the 2026 medical entrance examination over allegations of NEET paper leak.
Following the NEET paper leak, the petition filed through advocate Tanvi Dubey sought multiple directions, including replacing or fundamentally restructuring the National Testing Agency (NTA) and reconducting the exam under a judicially appointed high-powered committee.
NEET paper leak: Key directions sought
- Replace or fundamentally restructure the NTA with a more robust, technologically advanced and autonomous body for conducting the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test-Undergraduate (NEET-UG).
- Appointment of a high-powered monitoring committee chaired by a retired Supreme Court judge, a cybersecurity expert, and a forensic scientist, to supervise the re-conduct of NEET-UG 2026, until the proposed National Examination Integrity Commission (NEIC) is formally constituted to oversee the re-examination.
- Direct NTA or the newly appointed exam conducting body to strictly comply with the report of the K Radhakrishnan Committee that was set up after the 2024 NEET controversy to suggest measures to improve the NTA’s working.
- Re-conduct the NEET-UG 2026 examination under the strict scrutiny of a judicially appointed high-powered committee until the proposed NEIC or an interim oversight committee constituted by the Supreme Court verifies and certifies the security of the revised examination process.
- Mandating the “digital locking” of question papers and a transition to a “Computer-Based Test” (CBT) model, as suggested in the aftermath of previous leaks, to eliminate the physical chain-of-custody risks.
- Direct CBI to file a status report regarding the investigation into the NEET paper leak, including the network identified, arrests made, persons charged, and progress of prosecution.
‘Systemic failure’
In its plea, FAIMA submitted that the widespread NEET paper leak and subsequent cancellation of the NEET-UG 2026 examination reflected a systemic failure on the part of the NTA.
The plea states that despite the NTA’s assurances regarding the deployment of stringent security measures, such as GPS tracking, biometric verification and 5G jammers, the compromised question papers were still circulated extensively through WhatsApp and Telegram groups well before the examination commenced.
According to the plea, over 22.7 lakh students who had worked hard for the prestigious examination and endured immense psychological pressure were now being forced to suffer the trauma of cancellation of the exam and the anxiety surrounding a re-examination.
The plea stated that innocent aspirants were being made to pay the price for the alleged institutional negligence of the examination authorities and the criminal acts of organised paper-leak syndicates.
The plea further stated that reliance on the physical printing and transportation of question papers was highly unsafe. “Relying on the physical printing and transport of question papers is an outdated and highly unsafe method. Currently the NTA uses third party to move papers physically to the examination centres,” the petition over NEET paper leak read.
It alleged that NTA had excessively outsourced the management of examination centres. “NTA is excessively dependent on third parties to outsource the management of exam centers and to the transport of exam materials thereby destroying the secrecy of this examination,” the plea stated.
FAIMA contended that NTA lacked an active internal security mechanism dedicated to identifying technical vulnerabilities, auditing examination centres and preventing leaks before they could affect the integrity of the examination.
The petition stated, “NTA’s current system only reacts after a leak has already ruined the exam, rather than stopping it from happening in the first place”.
NEET paper leak
The NTA on May 12 cancelled the NEET-UG exam for admission to undergraduate medical courses, nine days after it was held on May 3, following an alleged NEET paper leak — the first time such a decision has been taken by the agency since the exam was introduced in 2016.
The cancellation triggered protests by student organisations, mainly in Delhi and Kerala, and drew sharp criticism from the Opposition, which accused the government of crushing the “hard work, sacrifices, and dreams of more than 22 lakh students”. Around 22.7 lakh candidates had registered for the exam, and 22.05 lakh appeared for it.
Speaking to The Indian Express, NTA Director General Abhishek Singh said the decision to cancel the test was taken after the process was found to have been “vitiated”. The NTA cannot “continue to allow miscreants” to operate “even in an isolated way, even in one sector, one subject,” he said.
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