NEET 2026 row: Doctors' body urges PM Modi to dissolve NTA, NMC

New Delhi: Pointing out that the alleged NEET UG 2026 paper leak row is directly linked to the widespread NEET 2024 paper leak scam, a doctors' body has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to dissolve the National Testing Agency (NTA) and the National Medical Commission (NMC).

Writing a letter to the Prime Minister’s Office in this regard, Dr Lakshya Mittal, Chairperson of the United Doctors' Front (UDF), alleged that constituting the NTA as an NGO and conducting examinations through private agencies was extremely unfortunate, claiming that the system had destroyed the credibility of education.

The doctor referred to the large-scale NEET scam in 2024, and alleged in the letter that ministry and NTA officials had protected the accused and failed to cooperate with the police investigation.

He further claimed that due to delays in the arrest of the main accused and the non-filing of the chargesheet, he was granted bail. According to Dr Mittal, this clearly points towards alleged collusion of senior officials at the NTA and ministry level in the paper leak case. He added that if a proper investigation had been conducted in 2024, such a situation would not have arisen again in 2026.

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

At present, the NEET UG 2026 controversy has escalated into a nationwide issue after the National Testing Agency officially cancelled the examination conducted on May 3 across 5,432 centres in 551 Indian cities and 14 international locations and announced a re-exam for more than 22 lakh aspirants across the country.

The Centre has handed over the matter to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) after the Rajasthan Police Special Operations Group reportedly found a "guess paper" containing over 100 questions allegedly matching the actual examination paper.

The SOG investigations have now expanded across multiple states, with the arrest of the alleged mastermind from Dehradun and four NEET aspirants, along with more than 45 individuals being questioned or detained so far.

Student organisations, including the National Students' Union of India, have staged protests in Delhi demanding that the government ban NTA, while aspirants and parents across the country have expressed anxiety and frustration over the uncertainty caused by the re-conduct of the examination.

Following this, the United Doctors' Front (UDF) demanded the immediate dissolution of the National Testing Agency (NTA), the arrest of officials responsible for the alleged irregularities, and a detailed investigation by an independent and competent agency.

The doctors' body also raised concerns over the functioning of the National Medical Commission (NMC). Referring to recent alleged inspection scams in medical colleges, long and inhuman duty hours for students, and the NMC’s alleged silence on these issues, UDF claimed that the regulatory body had failed in its responsibilities.

Therefore, the organisation demanded that both the NTA and NMC be dissolved and replaced with a transparent and accountable government-controlled system. It further stated that the entire process, from medical admissions to medical education, should be made secure and foolproof under the supervision of qualified and experienced officials.

Commenting on the issue, Dr Mittal said, "On one hand, the future of lakhs of students is at stake due to NTA's negligence, while on the other hand, NMC is silent on the exploitation of students. This indicates the unfortunate state of medical education in India. The government will now have to take concrete steps."

Meanwhile, the Democratic Medical Association (DMA India) has welcomed the Government of India’s decision to cancel NEET-UG 2026, but has also expressed strong outrage over the serious allegations. It has urged the Central Government and the Ministry of Education to stop treating this issue like an ordinary controversy and take immediate action.

Speaking to Medical Dialogues, DMA National President Dr Amit Vyas stated, "Merely cancelling the examination cannot be considered a solution to a scam of this national scale. Unless strict action is taken against the paper leak mafia, beneficiaries, and the entire network involved, the future of honest students will continue to be destroyed. Every time, the paper leak syndicates escape while sincere students are forced to suffer. Lakhs of students will now once again face mental stress, financial burden, and uncertainty. If destiny is decided not by hard work but by money and influence, then what meaning does education even hold?"

Dr Shubh Pratap Solanki, National General Secretary, DMA, said, "Millions of students study day and night with dedication, while organized criminal networks are weakening the examination system through money and corruption. This is not just an examination scam, but a direct attack on the country’s merit system."

"If fair and time-bound action is not taken in this matter, students will completely lose trust in national institutions," said DMA Jharkhand Core Member Dr Kumari Reshu Roli.

The association had demanded the immediate arrest of every individual involved in the scam, a time-bound nationwide investigation through the CBI, forensic investigation of all suspicious networks, digital evidence, and financial transactions and public disclosure of key findings related to the investigation to restore students’ confidence.

On the exam being cancelled, Chief Patron of the Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA), Rohan Krishnan told ANI, "It is very unfortunate…it is a middle class family’s dream to have a doctor from the family still today, it is social injustice when something gets in the way of that dream…initially NTA denied any discrepancy, but now that CBI is probing the case, it has annulled the exam held on May 3. It is a serious issue…the regional directors of NTA should be held responsible for crushing the dreams of lakhs of students. It is their moral obligation to resign, if they don’t, on behalf of FAIMA, I’d appeal to the govt to sack them. This is not the first time it has happened. NTA charges the most to conduct exams yet the centres are always in bad shape…education for NEET is costly, a lot of coaching centres run shady business around it, papers get leaked in black market…the dates for fresh exams should be released immediately...such incidents cause anxiety and disrupt the academic cycles of students…it takes 10 years to acquire basic minimum skills to become a doctor….NTA should be completely removed, and the medical education system should be revamped…govt should tighten its grip, FAIMA will not tolerate any complacency in such sensitive matters…"

Also read- NEET 2026 paper leak row: Alleged mastermind, 4 aspirants arrested from Dehradun