'Repeated NEET exam leaks, systematic failure of NTA': Plea in Supreme Court seeks urgent intervention, directions

New Delhi: Pointing out repeated allegations of question paper leaks, cheating rackets, impersonation scams, systemic failures, and irregularities in the NEET examination conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA), along with the recent alleged NEET 2026 paper leak controversy, a petition has been filed before the Chief Justice of India Surya Kant in the Supreme Court of India. The association has sought suo motu cognizance of the matter, along with the replacement of the NTA and other reforms.

The plea has been filed in public interest 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, Advocate Adarsh Singh, and Advocate Muskan Singh Bankura.

In the plea, the petitioners have sought an independent and court-monitored investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or a Special Investigation Team (SIT) into recent NEET paper leak incidents and organised cheating networks operating across states. They have also demanded the replacement of the National Testing Agency (NTA) with a new National Examination Authority equipped with judicial oversight and advanced technological safeguards, including AI-based surveillance systems. Further, the petition calls for the constitution of a High-Level Committee to recommend structural reforms, student protection mechanisms, and fast-track prosecution of those involved in examination fraud.

According to the petition, the NEET-UG 2024 controversy led to a CBI investigation, which resulted in five charge sheets being filed against 45 accused persons as of 22 November 2024, as reflected in parliamentary records.

NEET-UG 2026 examination conducted on 3 May 2026 was cancelled after confirmed allegations of a paper leak and the circulation of material matching the actual question paper.

The advocates representing the petitioners stated that repeated NEET-related controversies have severely affected the sanctity, transparency, and fairness of one of India’s most important entrance examinations. They added that these incidents have triggered nationwide outrage, caused mental distress among students, and led to a loss of public confidence in the examination system.

They further submitted that over the years, the NEET examination system has repeatedly faced allegations of paper leaks, impersonation scams, organised cheating rackets, grace mark controversies, solver gangs, and administrative irregularities, indicating a continuing pattern of systemic failure. The petition refers to controversies in NEET-UG 2016, 2021, and 2024, along with similar allegations linked to JEE Main and UGC-NET examinations.

Referring to past incidents, the association stated the following:

i) In 2015, large-scale allegations surfaced regarding organised cheating and impersonation rackets linked with medical entrance examinations, particularly involving the Vyapam scam ecosystem, where several candidates allegedly secured admissions through fraudulent means, impersonation, and manipulated examination systems. The controversy severely impacted public trust in medical entrance examinations across India.

ii) In 2016, soon after the implementation of NEET as a centralised examination, allegations of paper leaks emerged following the circulation of question papers before the examination in certain regions. The matter generated nationwide controversy and legal challenges, eventually leading to confusion, litigation, and administrative instability surrounding the conduct of the examination.

iii) In 2021, multiple incidents of impersonation and proxy candidates were reported across various states, wherein candidates allegedly used fake identities, forged biometric details, and solver networks to unlawfully clear the examination. Several arrests were made in connection with organised examination fraud operations.

iv) The NEET-UG 2024 examination witnessed one of the largest controversies in recent history, involving allegations of paper leaks, circulation of solved papers before the examination, suspicious grace marks, and organized interstate cheating syndicates operating in Bihar, Gujarat, Jharkhand, and other states. The gravity of the matter compelled intervention by investigative agencies, including the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), and widespread judicial scrutiny followed.

The petitioners further refer to the NEET-UG 2026 examination conducted on May 3, 2026, which was later cancelled following allegations of paper leak and circulation of question-related material. It claims that similarities between leaked material and the actual exam raised serious concerns about examination security.

"Most recently, the NEET-UG 2026 examination conducted on 03.05.2026 was officially cancelled following confirmed allegations of paper leaks and circulation of handwritten notes substantially matching the actual examination paper, particularly concerning nearly 120 chemistry questions, after a whistleblower alerted authorities regarding digitally circulated material corresponding with the original paper, leading to a fresh CBI investigation and direction for re-examination after the integrity and credibility of the examination process stood fundamentally compromised.  These repeated incidents occurring across multiple years and multiple national examinations clearly establish that the failures are not isolated or accidental in nature but reflect a continuing pattern of institutional incapacity and systemic breakdown within the National Testing Agency, despite judicial scrutiny, criminal investigations, parliamentary discussions, constitution of expert committees, and enactment of the Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, thereby demonstrating that the existing examination framework under the NTA has failed to inspire public confidence and urgently requires structural reforms, independent oversight, and replacement by a more transparent, professionally accountable, and technologically secure examination authority in the larger public interest," the petition added. 

Highlighting the impact on students, the petitioners in the plea note that lakhs of aspirants from economically weaker and middle-class backgrounds spend years preparing for NEET under immense psychological, emotional, and financial pressure. It states that examination leaks not only damage careers but also violate the constitutional promise of equal opportunity and fairness.

They argued that these irregularities violate Article 14 of the Constitution, which guarantees equality before law, and Article 21, which ensures the right to life with dignity, including the right to a fair and transparent examination process.

The petition further refers to the Supreme Court’s judgment dated 23 July 2024, where the Court declined to order a nationwide re-examination due to insufficient evidence of a systemic breach but acknowledged that a paper leak had occurred and that beneficiaries had been identified during investigation. The petitioners argue that the repeated recurrence of such incidents demonstrates that institutional safeguards under the NTA have failed.

It also mentions that the Ministry of Education informed Parliament about a High-Level Committee headed by former ISRO Chairman Dr K. Radhakrishnan, constituted on 22 June 2024. The committee recommended structural reforms, enhanced examination security systems, institutional coordination mechanisms, and standard operating procedures to prevent future breaches in both pen-and-paper and computer-based examinations

Therefore, the petitioner requested the Supreme Court to

a) Take suo moto cognizance of the repeated NEET examination leaks, impersonation scams, and irregularities occurring under the National Testing Agency (NTA);

b) Direct an independent and court-monitored investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or a Special Investigation Team (SIT) into the recent NEET paper leak incidents and organized cheating networks operating across states;

c) Direct the Central Government to replace the National Testing Agency (NTA) with a new independent, transparent, and professionally regulated National Examination Authority having statutory accountability, judicial oversight, and advanced technological safeguards;

d) Direct the constitution of a High-Level Committee comprising retired judges, cybersecurity experts, educationists, psychologists, and administrative experts to recommend structural reforms for conducting secure national-level examinations;

e) Direct implementation of encrypted digital paper transmission systems, biometric verification, AI based survelliance systems and strict cybersecurity protocols in all national examinations. 

f) Direct strict criminal prosecution and fast-track investigation against all individuals, institutions, coaching centres, middlemen, and officials found involved in examination leaks and organized cheating rackets;

g) Direct the concerned authorities to formulate a comprehensive student protection mechanism ensuring transparency, accountability, and timely grievance redressal in national examinations;

h) Pass any other order(s) as this Hon’ble Court may deem fit and proper in the interest of justice, fairness, transparency, and protection of the future of millions of students.

Speaking to Medical Dialogues, Dr Dhruv Chauhan said, "I have filed the petition after recieving hundreds of messages of UG aspirants who are in distress and have lost their faith in NTA . They want some other proper channel like how UPSC is conducted to conduct their exams so that they can atleast rely for fair exam."

NEET cancelled:

The National Testing Agency (NTA) on May 12, 2026, declared the cancellation of the examination held on May 3 and subsequently announced that a re-exam will be held on dates that will be notified separately.

On its official X (formerly Twitter) handle, the NTA posted, "In continuation of its press release dated 10 May 2026, the National Testing Agency wishes to inform candidates, parents, and members of the public of the following decisions taken in respect of NEET (UG) 2026. NTA had, on 8 May 2026, referred the matters then under consideration to the central agencies for independent verification and necessary action, consistent with its standing commitment to the fair, secure, and credible conduct of the national examinations entrusted to it. On the basis of the inputs subsequently examined by NTA in coordination with the central agencies, and the investigative findings shared by the law enforcement agencies and in order to ensure that there is transparency in the system, the National Testing Agency, with the approval of the Government of India, has decided to cancel the NEET (UG) 2026 examination conducted on 3 May 2026, and to re-conduct the examination on dates that will be notified separately."

NTA further informed that the Government of India decided to refer the matter to the Central Bureau of Investigation for a comprehensive inquiry into the allegations after it declared to re-conduct the NEET UG 2026 examination soon. Based on the centre's direction, the CBI registered an FIR in the case.

This comes in the backdrop of the probe by the Rajasthan Police Special Operations Group, which reportedly found a “guess paper” containing more than 100 questions similar to those asked in the NEET UG examination. The question paper series under scrutiny has been described as a “guess paper” which reportedly contained around 410 questions. Out of these, nearly 120 questions are alleged to have appeared in the Biology and Chemistry sections of the examination.

The investigation has found that the leaked papers were circulated through WhatsApp and Telegram groups ahead of the NEET UG 2026 examination held on May 3. According to reports, the matter came to light after a Sikar-based MBBS student studying at a medical college in Kerala allegedly shared a PDF of a “guess paper” with his father on May 2. The father, who runs a PG accommodation facility in Sikar, reportedly circulated the document further to a chemistry and a biology teacher who identified the similarities in questions.

As the investigation widened, Rajasthan SOG and later the CBI uncovered what officials described as a multi-state network involving students, coaching-linked persons and middlemen. The alleged leak reportedly spread from Kerala and Rajasthan to Haryana, Maharashtra, Bihar, Uttarakhand, Jammu and Kashmir and other states. So far, around 15 to 16 people have been arrested or taken into custody in connection with the case, while nearly 45 people have been detained or questioned during the investigation.

Seeking action, the Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) filed a petition before the Supreme Court demanding the replacement of NTA. It urged the Apex Court to issue a direction to the Centre to either replace NTA or fundamentally restructure it "with a more robust, technologically advanced and autonomous body for conducting NEET.

The issue also led to massive protests and condemnation by the medical fraternity, who blamed the NTA and the government for failing to prevent another paper leak controversy in 2026. They have criticised the authorities for playing with the future of over 22 lakh aspirants who appeared for the exam and are again forced to re-appear.

Also read- NEET 2026 cancelled, re-exam soon: NTA