NEET: SC directs Centre to inform about steps taken to implement Radhakrishnan panel recommendations

Highlighting the need to institutionalise reforms in the National Testing Agency (NTA) to ensure there were no question paper leaks, the Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the Centre to inform it about the steps taken to implement recommendations of the Radhakrishnan panel and the Nandan Nilekani committee.

After perusing the Centre’s affidavit indicating the progress made on the issue, a Bench of Justice PS Narasimha and Justice Alok Aradhe made it clear to Solicitor General Tushar Mehta that it was concerned with institutionalisation of the NTA and technological changes needed for conduct of smooth entrance examinations.

“With all infrastructure, manpower, technological requirements etc. we have been informed that the Nandan Nilekani committee has recommended reforms relating to AI, blockchain etc… We are concerned about institutionalisation of the NTA,” it said

“We direct the secretary to file an affidavit on the steps being taken to implement the recommendations of the Radhakrishnan committee as nuanced by the Nandan Nilekani committee,” the top court ordered, posting the matter for further hearing after three weeks.

Set up after a question paper leak in NEET-UG examination in 2024, the seven-member Radhakrishnan committee has made recommendations for a robust mechanism to conduct entrance examinations.

The Nandan Nilekani committee was constituted on July 26, 2026 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to recommend structural, technology-driven and leak-proof improvements in India's examination systems.

The NTA -- which conducts entrance examinations for admission to various higher educational institutions -- has been under fire for quite some time for paper leaks and other examination-related irregularities.

Noting that the NTA has not learnt any lessons from earlier NEET paper leaks, the Supreme Court had on May 25 issued notice to the Centre, the NTA and the CBI on petitions seeking dissolution of NTA over NEET-UG 2026 paper leak.

Noting that ad-hocism has caused troubles for years, the top court had on July 24 said it will closely monitor the reforms undertaken to overhaul the NTA and to curb NEET examination paper leaks even as the Centre asserted it’s going '10 extra miles' for students.

“We are focusing on institutionalisation. This is the most important... Ad-hocism has troubled us the most throughout these years,” the Bench had said while hearing petitions filed by the Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) and others.

On May 12, the NTA cancelled NEET-UG held on May 3, following allegations of paper leak. The retest was held on June 21. The paper leak case is being probed by the CBI.

One of the petitions sought a direction to replace or restructure the NTA, which conducts NEET-UG, with a robust and autonomous body.

Meanwhile, the Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) questioned before the Supreme Court the adequacy of measures enumerated by the National Testing Agency (NTA) to curb examination paper leaks.

In its response to an affidavit filed by NTA, FAIMA contended that the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Act, 2026 must specifically address an eventuality where persons including paper setters, paper vetters and other authorised personnel misuse that access by copying, sharing, transmitting or disclosing the material to an unauthorised person.

“Since such a person has been entrusted with extremely confidential material and has abused a position of trust, the law may treat such conduct as an aggravated offence carrying stricter punishment and penalties which are not included in The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Act, 2026,” FAIMA told the top court.