Supreme Court Adjourns Hearing To August 19 (Img: X)
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday adjourned the hearing in the NEET UG 2026 paper leak case to August 19, allowing petitioners time to respond to the Centre’s affidavit on the matter.
The hearing, which was scheduled for August 6, was the first major court proceeding after Parliament passed the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, aimed at preventing cheating, paper leaks and organised malpractice in government examinations.
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The petitions have been filed by medical associations, including the Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) and United Doctor’s Front (UDF). The petitioners have alleged systemic failures in the functioning of the National Testing Agency (NTA) and demanded major changes in the examination system.
Their key demands include setting up an independent body to conduct NEET examinations, dissolution of NTA and a court-monitored CBI investigation into the alleged leak.
The Centre has informed the court about possible changes in the NEET examination process. One major proposal under consideration is shifting the current pen-and-paper format to a computer-based test (CBT) system.
However, the government clarified that a final decision will be taken only after recommendations from a high-level examination reform task force.
Also Read: 13 Accused, 360 Witnesses: What’s Inside CBI’s 20,000-Page NEET Chargesheet?
The Centre formed a high-powered committee headed by Infosys co-founder and former UIDAI chairman Nandan Nilekani to suggest reforms for making competitive examinations more secure and transparent.
The panel includes experts such as former ISRO chairman S Somnath, former IB director Tapan Deka, IIT Madras director V Kamakoti, former Education Secretary Anita Karwal and logistics expert Amrit Lal Meena.
The committee has been tasked with recommending measures to prevent future leaks and strengthen the examination system.
