'Dissolve NTA': Resident doctors move SC after NEET-UG paper leak
What's the story
The Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) has filed a petition in the Supreme Court challenging the "systemic failure" of the National Testing Agency (NTA) after it canceled the NEET-UG 2026 examination on May 3 over allegations of a paper leak. The national body representing resident doctors in India has asked the court to direct the Union Government to replace the NTA with a "more robust, technologically advanced, and autonomous body" for conducting NEET examinations.
Committee proposal
Retired SC judge to head monitoring committee
The FAIMA's petition also seeks a fresh NEET-UG 2026 examination under judicial supervision. The FAIMA's petition also calls for a High-Powered Monitoring Committee, headed by a retired Supreme Court judge, to supervise the re-conduct of NEET-UG 2026. The committee would include a cybersecurity expert and a forensic scientist. This move is aimed at ensuring transparency and security in the examination process.
Security measures
Digital locking of question papers sought
The petition also calls for digital locking of question papers and a shift to a Computer Based Test (CBT) model. These measures are suggested to eliminate risks associated with physical chain-of-custody. Further, FAIMA has asked the CBI, which has taken over the case, to submit a status report on its investigation into the alleged paper leak within four weeks.
Student unrest
NEET-UG rescheduled dates awaited
The cancellation of NEET-UG 2026 has sparked protests by student organizations in Delhi and Kerala. The opposition has also criticized the government for allegedly disrupting the dreams of over 22 lakh students who registered for the exam. Rahul Gandhi said Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "mrit kaal" has turned into a "vish kaal (poison-filled era)" for the country and this case is "not just a failure—it's a crime against the future of the youth."