'Ad hocism has troubled us for years': Amid CJP protest, Supreme Court to monitor NEET paper leak reforms

With the future of lakhs of medical aspirants in focus, the Supreme Court on Friday told the Centre that it would closely monitor the steps taken to curb NEET examination paper leaks, while underlining that ad hocism had caused trouble for years. The top court said it would ensure the examination process was institutionalised to prevent a repeat of paper leaks, PTI reported.

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Court seeks details on reforms

A bench of Justices P S Narasimha and Alok Aradhe was hearing a batch of petitions, including one filed by the Federation of All India Medical Association. It told Solicitor General Tushar Mehta that the government should indicate the steps taken towards transparency, the implementation of the recommendations of the Radhakrishnan Committee, and how the IIT model would be followed.

One plea has sought a direction to replace or restructure the National Testing Agency, which conducts NEET-UG, with a robust and autonomous body. The seven-member Radhakrishnan Committee was set up by the Ministry of Education after the NEET-UG paper leak to recommend reforms in the examination process, data security protocols, and changes to the structure and functioning of the NTA.

Government promises overhaul

Mehta told the court that there had been some developments and that the government would file a detailed report on a comprehensive overhaul of the examination process, which could go beyond the committee's recommendations. "Students' futures can't be jeopardised. We are going beyond the Radhakrishnan Committee. I assure you that the government is walking 10 extra miles. I can assure you everything is being supervised at the highest level," Mehta submitted. He also said that a similar issue had arisen two years ago and that everything, from printing to transportation, had then been explained to the court.

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The bench observed that the government had deployed the Indian Air Force to transport question papers for the NEET-UG retest, but said such measures were ad hoc. "Ad hocism has troubled us for years," Justice Narasimha said, adding that the court would ensure that "institutionalisation of the examination process takes place to avoid a repeat of paper leaks". While asking the Centre and the NTA to file detailed affidavits, the bench said the government had earlier informed the court that IITs would have a role, but this had not been explained.

CBT blueprint sought

Appearing for FAIMA, advocate Tanvi Dubey sought a detailed blueprint of the SOP for the computer-based test model that will be implemented by the NTA for NEET-UG from next year. She said the petitioners had prepared suggestions in view of the shift and urged that demo test papers be given to students well before the examination. Dubey said that since 22 lakh students would take the examination in CBT mode, a blueprint should be provided before the test, showing how the government planned to conduct all three stages.

Posting the matter to August 3, the court said it would monitor everything closely and follow it up through the year. "We will see that complete and total institutionalisation takes place," the bench said. On May 29, the top court had stressed that the real problem relating to NEET-UG would not stop until "actual accountability arises". Mehta had then said Prime Minister Narendra Modi was personally supervising the situation so that "there is no lacunae".

The bench also noted that Dr K Radhakrishnan, former ISRO chairman and chairman of the high-powered steering committee on NTA reforms, had filed an affidavit on the implementation of the committee's recommendations and the future course of action.

NEET-UG retest

On May 12, the NTA cancelled NEET-UG held on May 3 amid allegations of a paper leak, and the retest was held on June 21. The allegations are being investigated by the CBI. After questions were allegedly leaked in 2024, the top court refused to cancel the test, but issued directions aimed at tackling paper leaks and laid down a criterion for cancelling public examinations.