The Supreme Court on Friday directed the Central government and the National Testing Agency (NTA) to file comprehensive affidavits on the progress made in implementing reforms after the NEET-UG paper leak. File image of the Supreme Court(PTI) The Supreme Court on Friday directed the Central government and the National Testing Agency (NTA) to file comprehensive affidavits on the progress made in implementing reforms after the NEET-UG paper leak. A two-judge bench of Justices PS Narasimha and Alok Aradhe noted that the affidavits must explain the steps undertaken to implement the reforms instead of simply relying on ad hoc measures, news agency PTI reported. Hearing a batch of petitions, including one filed by the Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA), the court asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to outline the measures taken by the government to enhance transparency, implement the recommendations of the Radhakrishnan Committee, and adopt the IIT model in the examination system. What did the Supreme Court say? Additionally, the apex court directed the Centre to provide details on the proposed governing board, expert-led units, stakeholder nominations, and the implementation of the High-Powered Committee’s recommendations across 10 key areas, including digital infrastructure, security, research and development, transparency, administration, and human resources.
It also sought an update on the role and progress of the newly appointed Additional Directors General for security, monitoring, and vigilance. It has also sought a status report on reforms at every stage of the examination cycle, including pre-exam, during the exam, and post-exam. Meanwhile, the Centre has also been asked to provide an update on the progress made in areas such as testing modalities with state and district authorities, multiple-session examinations, examination centres, question paper handling, printing, and transportation. The top court also sought details on the proposal to shift to Computer-Based Testing and the safeguards for data protection. Justice Narasimha noted that the deployment of the Indian Air Force to ensure the safe transportation of question papers after the paper leak can be considered an ad hoc measure and could not be a permanent solution. The Centre has been asked to explain its proposal on technologies, including DigiYatra, for candidate verification. Noting that the Union government’s affidavit did not address these issues, the Supreme Court accepted Solicitor General Tushar Mehta’s assurance that a fresh affidavit would be submitted.
The court adjourned the hearing and scheduled it for 3 August and said, “We will closely monitor it. We will ensure institutionalisation takes place. We will monitor it throughout the year.”
Background of the case The development comes as a batch of petitions sought the dissolution of the NTA and an overhaul of the entrance examination system in the country, in the wake of the leakage of the NEET-UG 2026 exam, LiveLaw reported. During a hearing in May, the bench, after interacting with the expert committee set up by the Supreme Court in 2024 to recommend NEET reforms, directed the Union Ministries to file affidavits outlining the measures being taken. The court directed, “The affidavit shall indicate the method by which regulating and supervising authorities of NEET examination can develop and retain institutional memory so that they can act on the basis of the experience, data, and information they have gathered and processed with each examination cycle. The endeavour must be to ensure that the National Testing Agency has the wherewithal, physical and intellectual, to prevent incidents such as the 2024 or 2026 examinations from occurring in the future.”
NEET-UG paper leak row The NEET-UG 2026 controversy erupted after allegations of a question paper leak led the NTA to cancel the examination, which had originally been conducted on 3 May. The cancellation affected more than 22 lakh candidates and prompted the Centre to order a fresh examination and a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the alleged leak.
The incident triggered nationwide protests by students and renewed scrutiny of the NTA’s examination and security mechanisms. (with agency inputs)
About the Author Swati Gandhi
Swati Gandhi is a digital journalist with over four years of experience, specialising in international and geopolitical issues. Her work focuses on foreign policy, global power shifts, and the political and economic forces shaping international relations, with a particular emphasis on how global developments affect India.
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She approaches journalism with a strong belief in context-driven reporting, aiming to break down complex global events into clear, accessible narratives for a wide readership. Previously, Swati has worked at Business Standard, where she covered a range of beats including national affairs, politics, and business.
This diverse newsroom experience helped her build a strong grounding in reporting, while also strengthening her ability to work across both breaking news and in-depth explanatory stories. Covering multiple beats early in her career has helped her be informed about her current work, allowing her to connect domestic developments with wider international trends. At Live Mint, she focuses on international and geopolitical issues through a business and economic lens, examining how global political developments, foreign policy decisions, and power shifts impact markets, industries, and India’s strategic and economic interests. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in English (Honours) from the University of Delhi and a Master’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University. Her academic training has shaped her emphasis on precision, analytical rigour, and clarity in writing. Her interests include global political economy and the intersection of geopolitics with business.
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