Parliamentary panel seeks answers from top NTA officials on NEET-UG paper leak probe, steps for robust mechanism to prevent breaches
New Delhi, May 22
A Parliamentay panel on Thursday sought an update from Director General of the National Testing Agency, Abhishek Singh about probe into the NEET-UG paper leak with members also asking questions about the steps being taken to prevent recurrence of such incidents in the future.
Sources said that NTA chief told the panel that the leak did not take place from their system and that CBI is conducting probe into the leak of questions that led to cancellation of the examination. NEET-UG will now be held on June 21 .
Education Secretary Vineet Joshi also appeared before the committee. Sources said the standing committee members asked about the NEET-UG paper leak and ways to make the NTA test process more robust. They asked about the computer- based test infrastructure, frequency, duration of test and other parameters as NEET-UG, one of India's most important entrance examinations. shifts to computer-based testing from next year.
Speaking with ANI, Digvijaya Singh, Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education, Women, Children, Youth and Sports, stated that the meeting went off very well and that they received input from all the members.Noting that all members are "very concerned" about issues discussed, such as the NTA exam, and mentioned he "can't go into details" regarding specifics at this time.Regarding future plans and when the findings would be presented, that "it depends" and concluded by saying "let's see" when asked about the date of the next meeting.
According to sources, committee members raised sharp queries regarding the NEET-UG Paper Leak 2026 and sought clarity on measures to make the NTA's testing mechanism foolproof.
The committee also reviewed the implementation status of the K. Radhakrishnan Committee Report on NTA reforms and was told that 75 per cent of its recommendations have been implemented, sources said.
They said the officials told the committee that there are around 25 per cent vacancies and steps have been taken strengthen the organisation with more appointments and further steps will be taken in line with requirements.
Beyond the examination reforms, the meeting also focused on the impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on the education sector and discussed strategies to maximise the employability of students in the wake of technological advancements.
The committee considered two reports: the 379th Report on Action Taken by the Government regarding the Demands for Grants 2025-26 of the Ministry of Women & Child Development, and the 380th Report on the functioning of the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) in light of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020's focus on teacher capacity building.The panel further deliberated on the major achievements and challenges faced by Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) and the National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions (NCMEI).Discussions covered critical areas such as financial constraints, the implementation of reservations, filling of administrative vacancies, and the challenges associated with the implementation of the NEP, sources added.
Political tensions heightened amid protests over NEET UG 2026, which was cancelled on May 12 following allegations of a coordinated paper leak. The exam, conducted on May 3 across 551 cities in India and 14 cities abroad, saw participation from over 22 lakh candidates.The Union Education Ministry has ordered strengthened security measures for the upcoming re-examination scheduled on June 21.
— ANI
Reader Comments
NTA says leak was not from their system, but where else could it come from? The system seems broken from inside. Computer-based testing from next year is a good move - less chance of physical paper leaks. But they need to secure the entire digital infrastructure. Students can't keep suffering! 😤
The K. Radhakrishnan Committee report was supposed to fix NTA. If 75% is implemented, why are we still facing leaks? That 25% must be the critical part. Also, 25% vacancies in NTA itself shows the organisation is understaffed. Fill those posts with competent people first. Paper leaks are a symptom of deeper administrative failure.
Finally they are also discussing AI's impact on education! That's the real future. But NEET must be fair first. I feel for the 22 lakh students who had to go through this chaos. Some might have lost scholarships or plans because of the cancellation. The government must compensate them with extra preparation time or something. 👩⚕️📚
Sharp queries from committee? Good. But Digvijaya Singh saying "can't go into details" and "let's see" doesn't inspire confidence. We've heard such promises before. Need timeline and accountability. Also, linking this with AMU and NCMEI discussions seems like they are mixing too many issues. Stay focused on NEET first!
21 June re-exam. That's just one month gap. Students who prepared for May may not be ready again so soon. Some might have mental health issues too after this betrayal. I appreciate the
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