Doctors' body moves SC seeking dissolution of National Testing Agency over NEET-UG 2026 paper leak

A protest against National Testing Agency at Delhi's Jantar Mantar. (PTI photo)

NEW DELHI: The United Doctors Front (UDF) has approached the Supreme Court of India seeking the dissolution of the National Testing Agency (NTA) in its current form following the alleged NEET-UG 2026 paper leak controversy and the subsequent cancellation of the medical entrance examination.

Filed under Article 32 of the Constitution, the petition by the registered doctors’ body alleges a “systemic and catastrophic failure” in the conduct of NEET-UG 2026 and calls for sweeping reforms in India’s examination system.

The plea, filed through Advocate-on-Record Ritu Reniwal along with Advocate Mahendra Kumawat, seeks directions to the Union government to dismantle the NTA as it presently exists under the Societies Registration Act, 1860, and replace it with a statutory national testing authority created through parliamentary legislation.

It further urges the court to direct the Centre to enact a law establishing an independent testing body with clearly defined legal powers, transparency safeguards and direct accountability to Parliament.

The petition has also sought the constitution of a court-monitored committee to oversee the conduct of upcoming national examinations and ensure what it termed “zero-leak integrity”.

According to the plea, NEET-UG 2026, held on May 3 for around 22.7 lakh aspirants, was compromised by an organised “guess paper” racket allegedly circulated through WhatsApp and Telegram groups across several states.

Citing investigations by the Rajasthan Special Operations Group (SOG) and the subsequent CBI FIR, the petition argues that the integrity of the examination was compromised at a systemic level.

The petition alleges that despite safeguards such as biometric verification, GPS tracking and AI-assisted CCTV surveillance, exam-related material was leaked nearly 42 hours before the test.

It contends that the eventual cancellation of NEET-UG 2026 effectively amounted to an admission by authorities that genuine candidates could no longer be separated from those who benefited from the leak.

The UDF has argued that the NTA’s status as a registered society has created an “accountability vacuum”, claiming it is not directly answerable to Parliament in the same manner as constitutional or statutory bodies such as the Union Public Service Commission or the Staff Selection Commission.

The petition further contends that recurring examination leaks violate Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution by undermining merit-based selection and causing severe mental distress and uncertainty among students.

The plea also cites observations made by the Supreme Court during the 2024 NEET controversy, along with recommendations of the K. Radhakrishnan Committee, which reportedly advocated stronger safeguards, reduced outsourcing and a gradual shift towards computer-based examinations.