‘Very traumatic for students & parents,’: SC on NEET UG paper leak; next hearing in July

The Supreme Court of India ordered the Union government to submit an affidavit regarding the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak controversy, with Justices PS Narasimha and Alok Aradhe stressing the urgency of accountability. The court noted the emotional trauma for students and families, calling it a serious issue that extends beyond the exam itself. The next hearing is scheduled for July. The National Testing Agency (NTA) filed an affidavit stating it has introduced structural reforms after the leak forced the cancellation of the May 3 exam. Measures include mandatory CCTV surveillance with 90-day footage retention, mock drills, and forensic analysis of recordings post-exam. The NTA also reported that 99.5% of exam centers were government-run, with city coordinators from Kendriya Vidyalayas, Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas, or government institutions. The High-Powered Steering Committee recommended safeguards across pre-exam, during-exam, and post-exam phases, including contingency plans for adverse weather and emergency medical facilities. The NTA claims to have implemented these, along with creating 16 senior-level posts and appointing domain experts from IITs, UGC, CBSE, KVS, and IGNOU to oversee security. A re-exam is scheduled for June 21 following the cancellation, while the court awaits the government’s response. The Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) and United Doctors Front (UDF) had petitioned for NTA’s restructuring, citing systemic failures. The Solicitor General confirmed Prime Minister Narendra Modi is personally monitoring the case.