Petition urges SC to take suo motu cognisance of repeated NEET leaks, seeks overhaul of NTA

New Delhi: A letter petition has been submitted before the Supreme Court seeking suo motu intervention into the repeated NEET examination leaks, impersonation scams, and alleged systemic failures in the functioning of the National Testing Agency (NTA), contending that the credibility and transparency of national-level entrance examinations have been “fundamentally compromised”.

The petition, addressed to the Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant, sought directions for a court-monitored probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or a Special Investigation Team (SIT) into the recent NEET-UG 2026 paper leak controversy and demanded the replacement of the NTA with an “independent, transparent, and professionally regulated National Examination Authority”.

Filed by Dr Dhruv Chauhan, National Spokesperson of the Indian Medical Association Junior Doctors Network (IMA-JDN), and social activist Harisharan Devgan through advocate Satyam Singh, the plea said that repeated paper leaks, solver gangs, impersonation rackets, cybersecurity failures and administrative lapses have “destroyed public confidence” in the examination system.

Referring to previous controversies linked to NEET and other examinations conducted by the NTA, the petition alleged that the examination framework has suffered from “continuing collapse of examination security mechanisms” despite judicial scrutiny, criminal investigations and expert committee recommendations.

The plea referred to alleged instances of paper leaks and impersonation rackets in NEET examinations over the years, including controversies linked to NEET-UG 2024 and JEE Main 2021, and claimed that the recurring nature of such incidents reflects “institutional incapacity and systemic breakdown within the National Testing Agency”.

It further relied on parliamentary disclosures made by the Union Ministry of Education in Rajya Sabha in March 2025, which stated that the CBI had filed five charge sheets against 45 accused persons in connection with the NEET-UG 2024 paper theft case and that beneficiaries of the leaked paper, impersonators and MBBS students allegedly involved had been identified for necessary action.

According to the petition, lakhs of students from economically weaker and middle-class backgrounds dedicate years of preparation for NEET, and recurring examination leaks destroy not only careers but also the constitutional guarantee of equality and fair opportunity under Articles 14 and 21.

“The recurring paper leaks have created an environment where deserving students increasingly believe that merit and hard work alone are insufficient to secure success in national examinations,” the plea stated.

The petition sought directions to replace the NTA with a new “independent, transparent, and professionally regulated National Examination Authority” having statutory accountability, judicial oversight and advanced technological safeguards.

It also sought the constitution of a high-level committee comprising retired judges, cybersecurity experts, educationists and administrative experts to recommend structural reforms for the secure conduct of national-level examinations.

The plea further prayed for implementation of encrypted digital paper transmission systems, biometric verification mechanisms, strict cybersecurity protocols and fast-track prosecution against individuals, coaching centres and officials allegedly involved in examination leaks and organised cheating rackets.

The plea comes amid the NEET-UG 2026 controversy after the NTA on Tuesday cancelled the examination conducted on May 3 and announced that the test would be reconducted on dates to be notified separately following inputs from Central agencies and law enforcement authorities regarding alleged irregularities in the examination process.

In its official statement, the NTA said that “the present examination process could not be allowed to stand” after findings shared by investigative agencies established serious concerns relating to the integrity of the examination.

The examination body also announced that the matter had been referred to the CBI for a comprehensive inquiry into the allegations surrounding the examination.

Meanwhile, the widening investigation into the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak has also reached Kerala, where the CBI is probing the possible involvement of students from two districts after details shared by the Rajasthan Police allegedly revealed links to nearly 200 students who may have accessed the leaked paper.

The investigation reveals that a “model question paper”, allegedly prepared using the leaked original paper, was circulated among students in several states, including Kerala, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Bihar, through platforms such as Telegram and WhatsApp for amounts ranging from Rs 25,000 to Rs 2 lakh.

IANS