NEET UG 2026: Plea Filed in Supreme Court Seeks Replacement of NTA
Petition Filed Following Exam Cancellation
In the wake of the cancellation of the NEET UG 2026 examination, a petition has been submitted to the Supreme Court of India requesting the Union government to replace the National Testing Agency (NTA) with a more capable and autonomous organization for conducting medical entrance tests. The plea further advocates for the organization of a new NEET-UG 2026 under judicial oversight.
The Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) has initiated this legal action, citing what they describe as a ‘systemic failure’ in the management of NEET-UG 2026. Their petition urges the apex court either to reform the existing structure of the NTA or to designate a different authority to uphold the integrity of the examination process.
Background of NEET UG Examination Issues
The NTA canceled the NEET-UG 2026 examination that had been held on May 3 due to allegations concerning a paper leak. The investigation into these allegations has been transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) by the Union government.
Speaking to journalists in Jaipur, Vishal Bansal, the Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), Special Operations Group (SOG) of Rajasthan, addressed prevalent misconceptions about the exam. He mentioned a document referred to as a ‘guess paper’, which allegedly listed 410 questions, with approximately 120 of these questions appearing in the chemistry section of the actual exam. The guess paper was purported to have been circulated among students weeks prior to the test.
Bansal noted that the inquiry has yet to determine the source of the leaked question paper, although it was discovered on the WhatsApp accounts of students who were scheduled to take the exam. He highlighted that the document was a PDF file spanning about 150 pages with over 400 questions. The investigative process is complex and requires thorough efforts from the SOG officials involved in the case.
Reactions to the Cancellation
The cancellation of the NEET UG 2026 exam has led to demonstrations by student organizations primarily in New Delhi and Kerala. The situation has attracted significant criticism from opposition political groups, who have accused the government of undermining the “hard work, sacrifices, and dreams of more than 22 lakh students” who registered for the exam. Out of approximately 22.7 lakh candidates who had signed up, around 22.05 lakh actually appeared for the test.
The NTA has announced that the NEET UG examination, which is notable for being the largest in terms of participants in a single session, will be rescheduled with new dates to be communicated shortly. The Chief of the NTA indicated that the revised examination dates would be released within one to two weeks, following the cancellation of the initial test.
