The National Testing Agency (NTA) is once again at the centre of controversy after a fresh NEET paper leak forced authorities to order a nationwide re-test for lakhs of medical aspirants. As the Supreme Court hears petitions seeking major reforms in the examination system, the Centre has informed the court about a series of security measures introduced after the NEET controversy of 2024.

In an affidavit submitted before the Supreme Court on Thursday, Dr K Radhakrishnan, who heads the High Powered Steering Committee (HPSC) overseeing NTA reforms, detailed the steps taken to strengthen the examination process after last year’s crisis.

The affidavit comes at a time when the NEET-UG 2026 examination has been cancelled nationwide following what authorities describe as a major security breach involving the question bank itself.

Supreme Court hearing and calls for structural reforms

The Supreme Court is currently hearing petitions filed by organisations including the Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA), which has demanded a complete restructuring or replacement of the NTA.

With the NEET re-test scheduled for June 21, 2026, the Union Government is reportedly considering the deployment of Indian Air Force aircraft for the secure transportation of question papers.

Expert committee formed after 2024 controversy

According to the affidavit, the Centre constituted a High-Level Committee of Experts (HLCE) in June 2024 after widespread concerns emerged over the functioning of the NTA and the conduct of NEET examinations.

The committee included experts from AIIMS, IITs, universities and the Ministry of Education. It held consultations with a wide range of stakeholders, including students, state governments, police officials, academicians, media organisations and testing agencies.

The affidavit states that more than 37,000 responses were received through the MyGov platform and from various states during the consultation process.

The committee submitted its report in October 2024. It proposed 101 recommendations covering exam reforms, data security, standard operating procedures, testing centre allocation and systems to prevent malpractice.

Following this, the government constituted the High Powered Steering Committee to supervise the implementation of the recommendations.

Measures introduced by the government

The affidavit lists several reforms that have already been introduced to strengthen examination security and improve transparency.

These include:

  • State and district coordination committees

Special coordination committees have been set up at the state and district levels for NEET examinations to improve oversight and coordination during the conduct of exams.

  • Increase in government examination centres

More than 99.5 percent of examination centres for NEET-UG 2026 have been shifted to government institutions in an attempt to reduce security vulnerabilities.

  • Aadhaar-based biometric verification

Candidates are now being verified using Aadhaar-based biometric authentication systems to prevent impersonation and identity fraud.

CCTV monitoring and mobile jammers

Examination centres are being monitored through CCTV surveillance, while mobile jammers have also been introduced to block unauthorised communication during exams.

Data analytics and AI-based monitoring

Authorities are using data analytics tools to identify suspicious patterns linked to malpractice. The affidavit also mentions improvements in grievance redressal systems using Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning tools.

How the 2024 and 2026 crises differ

The affidavit and related proceedings highlight the sharp contrast between the NEET controversies of 2024 and 2026.

The 2024 NEET controversy

The 2024 controversy centred around allegations of localised malpractice and administrative lapses. Investigations conducted by Bihar’s Economic Offences Unit (EOU) and later by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) found that a “solver gang” had compromised exam security at a school in Hazaribagh, Jharkhand.

According to investigators, question papers were photographed and circulated among a limited group of candidates who had allegedly paid for access.

The controversy deepened after the NTA awarded “grace marks” to more than 1,500 candidates who reportedly lost time during the examination at certain centres.

The decision triggered outrage across the country after an unusually high number of top scores were recorded, including 67 candidates securing a perfect score of 720 marks.

Despite large-scale protests by students and intense political criticism, both the Union Government and the Supreme Court refused to cancel the examination nationwide in 2024.

The 2026 NEET crisis

The 2026 controversy has been described as far more serious and systemic.

The NEET-UG examination conducted on May 3, 2026, for around 22.79 lakh candidates was completely cancelled after a major leak of the central question bank was detected.

Unlike the 2024 incident, where the breach was linked to a regional network operating at a local level, the 2026 leak reportedly took place before the printing and translation process itself.

Authorities say this represented a failure at the core security level of the examination system.

As a result, the NTA announced an unprecedented nationwide re-examination, forcing more than 22 lakh students to prepare once again for the test scheduled on June 21, 2026.

The developments have intensified demands for deeper institutional reforms and raised fresh questions over the credibility and reliability of India’s largest medical entrance examination.