Supreme Court Pulls Up NTA in NEET-UG 2026 Paper Leak Case, Says Agency “Has Not Learnt Its Lesson Yet”

The Supreme Court on Monday sharply criticised the National Testing Agency (NTA) over the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak, observing that the examination body had “not learnt its lesson” even after the major controversy surrounding the medical entrance examination in 2024.

A Bench presided over by Justice P.S. Narasimha, who heard the petitions, expressed dismay that the NTA seemed to have repeated its errors despite the orders issued by the Supreme Court to restructure the examination system.

The remarks follow the cancellation of the NEET-UG 2026 exam that went on on May three, 2026, for almost 23 lakh medical aspirants throughout the nation. The exam was cancelled following claims that the paper had been leaked prior to the exam. A fresh examination has now been scheduled for June 21, 2026, and the case is being investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Supreme Court Remembers the Controversy Over NEET in 2024

The Court drew parallels with the controversy over paper leaks and irregularities that marred the trust of the national medical entrance examination (NEET-UG 2024).

The Supreme Court had earlier ruled against cancellation of the 2024 exam, noting that the leak seemed to be “localised.” But the Court had earlier recognised the need for a fundamental change in the manner in which the NTA conducted the examination process and had appointed a high-level expert committee headed by the former ISRO chairman K. Radhakrishnan for the purpose.

During the hearing, Justice Narasimha remarked,“It is so sad, really, that the NTA has not learnt its lesson. We had with such difficulty heard the petitions in 2024 and passed orders… We had directed the constitution of a committee to give recommendations… Those recommendations, we believe, were accepted… a monitoring/high-powered committee was appointed.”

Petitions Seek Major Changes in NTA Structure

The Court was considering petitions by the Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) and the United Doctors Front, which called for a far-reaching overhaul of the NTA's working.

One petition called for a basic restructuring of the NTA or its complete replacement. Yet another suggested that the agency should be transformed from a registered society to a statutory body with an Act of Parliament to make it more accountable and subject to parliamentary scrutiny.

The petitions termed the paper leak in NEET (UG) 2026 as a “recurring, systemic and catastrophic failure” in the way the exams were conducted.

Court wants NTA to submit an affidavit

The Supreme Court has now asked the NTA to file an affidavit in three days providing details of the measures taken to implement the recommendations of the K. Radhakrishnan committee.

The Court specifically sought information on reforms such as enhanced exam security systems, digitalization of question papers, and the potential switch to computer based testing (CBT) to mitigate risks associated with physical movement of paper.

Former ISRO chief K. Radhakrishnan has also been asked to separately inform the Court about the implementation status of the committee’s recommendations. The case will be heard again later this week.

Increasing Questions about Exam Transparency

The latest developments have added to worries about the credibility of India's centralized entrance exam system. Students, parents and education experts have increasingly wondered whether enough can be done through a succession of administrative changes to regain trust in high-stakes exams that impact millions of aspirants.

The controversy has sparked a renewed discussion on examination security, accountability in NTA,.coaching centre networks, and the increasing mental stress on students appearing for competitive exams.

The Supreme Court's upcoming hearings on the NTA's implementation of its earlier recommendations for reform are expected to be pivotal for the future of the national testing system in India, given that the court has now been directly challenged on whether the NTA took the recommendations of the earlier reforms seriously.