New Delhi | The Supreme Court on Friday expressed serious concern over the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak controversy and stressed the urgent need to fix accountability for lapses in the examination system. The top court observed that such incidents are “extremely traumatic” not only for students but also for their families, who invest years of hard work, hope and emotional energy into competitive examinations.
The matter was heard by a bench comprising Justices P.S. Narasimha and Alok Aradhe. The court was hearing multiple petitions related to the NEET-UG paper leak case, including pleas seeking restructuring of the National Testing Agency (NTA) or replacing it with a more autonomous and robust institution to conduct national-level entrance examinations.
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During the hearing, the bench remarked that the country’s youth should not be disappointed by repeated failures in the examination system. The judges noted that incidents such as paper leaks severely damage public trust in competitive examinations and create emotional distress among lakhs of students preparing for professional careers.
Representing the Centre, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta informed the court that the government was taking the matter very seriously and that the situation was being closely monitored at the highest level. He stated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was personally supervising developments to ensure that no further lapses occur in the conduct of the examination process.
Mehta further told the court that several new security arrangements and monitoring mechanisms had been introduced for the NEET-UG re-examination scheduled for June 21. According to the Centre, additional safeguards are being implemented to make the examination process more secure, transparent and resistant to malpractice.
However, the Supreme Court made it clear that merely introducing new systems would not be sufficient unless responsibility for the lapses was clearly identified. The bench observed that “the real problem will not stop till actual accountability arises,” emphasizing that those responsible for compromising the integrity of the examination system must be held answerable.
The court directed the Centre to file a detailed affidavit explaining the corrective measures taken so far and outlining the reforms proposed to prevent future paper leak incidents. The matter has now been listed for hearing in the second week of July.
The bench is expected to examine whether the government’s proposed reforms and security mechanisms are adequate to restore confidence in the national medical entrance examination system. The court also indicated that long-term structural improvements in the examination process may be necessary.
The controversy began after the National Testing Agency cancelled the NEET-UG 2026 examination held on May 3 following allegations that the question paper had been leaked before the exam. Subsequently, the Centre handed over the investigation to a central agency, and a fresh examination has now been scheduled for June 21.
The issue has revived memories of the NEET-UG controversy witnessed last year, when allegations of paper leaks and irregularities had also triggered nationwide concern. Although the Supreme Court had then refused to cancel the examination entirely, it had issued several directions aimed at strengthening safeguards against leaks and misconduct in public examinations.
Legal and education experts believe the repeated emergence of paper leak scandals has raised serious concerns about the credibility and reliability of India’s competitive examination framework. Millions of students spend years preparing for examinations such as NEET, and recurring controversies risk undermining both morale and trust in the system.
Experts have argued that technological safeguards alone may not solve the problem unless accompanied by broader administrative reforms, stricter enforcement mechanisms and stronger accountability at every level of the examination process.
For now, students, parents and educational institutions across the country are closely watching the Supreme Court proceedings, the Centre’s response and the arrangements being put in place for the June 21 re-examination.
