PM Modi monitoring NEET paper issue, Centre tells Supreme Court
New Delhi, May 29
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is personally supervising the situation following the NEET-UG 2026 controversy, the Centre informed the Supreme Court on Friday, as the apex court stressed the need to fix individual accountability within the National Testing Agency to prevent recurring lapses in national-level examinations.
A Bench of Justices P.S. Narasimha and Alok Aradhe was hearing a batch of pleas seeking structural reforms in the conduct of the NEET-UG examination, including an immediate transition to computer-based testing (CBT) Appearing for the Centre, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the top court that the Union government was treating the issue with utmost seriousness as it directly impacted the country's youth.
"The Hon'ble Prime Minister is personally supervising this," SG Mehta submitted, adding that the Centre was deeply concerned about safeguarding the interests of students.
The apex court, while expressing concern over repeated controversies surrounding the examination, observed that the problem would persist unless specific responsibility is assigned to individuals handling various aspects of the examination process.
"The real problem won't stop till actual accountability arises. Not in terms of so and so will be liable, it will be effective when we know which individual shoulders the responsibility. Unless you identify the duty holders it will be a diffused obligation," the Justice Narasimha-led Bench remarked.
Calling the recent developments "traumatic" for students and their families, the Supreme Court said the nation cannot afford to disappoint lakhs of aspirants who invest years of effort and emotion preparing for competitive examinations.
"It is very traumatic if this is happening. We cannot disappoint our students. It is not merely the student, it's the family too. It is so much of emotions, love, time, years of study," it observed.
Stressing the need for institutional reforms within the NTA, the apex court observed that the country's examination bodies should not function in an ad hoc manner.
"The problem is that most institutions are ad hoc. It's a phenomenon that is everywhere in the country. It's not the individual who has the capability but the institution," it said.
Drawing a comparison with the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), the Justice Narasimha-led Bench observed that the NTA should learn from institutions that have successfully conducted large-scale examinations without facing similar controversies.
"UPSC has never been in such a situation, you need to learn," the top court remarked.
To strengthen examination systems, it also endorsed the idea of sustained collaboration with academic institutions and domain experts, including IITs, to continuously improve examination management and security protocols.
The Justice Narasimha-led Bench directed that the Ministry of Human Resource Development, instead of the Union Health Ministry, file a comprehensive affidavit detailing measures required to strengthen the NTA's organisational capacity and human resources.
"The endeavour is to ensure that NTA would have the wherewithal, physical and intellectual, to ensure that no incident such as 2024/2026 examination occurs," the apex court said while posting the matter for further hearing in July.
— IANS
Reader Comments
As a parent of a NEET aspirant, this whole episode has been nerve-wracking. My daughter spent two years preparing, and now this uncertainty. The Supreme Court's observation about "traumatic" is spot on. We need individual accountability at NTA, not just bureaucratic shuffling. At least PM sahab is watching over this.
Interesting how the Supreme Court compares NTA to UPSC. As someone who has taken exams in both systems, the difference in professionalism is stark. UPSC is like a well-oiled machine. NTA feels like it's run by amateurs. Glad the PM is involved - this needs top-level intervention. Hope they implement CBT sooner rather than later.
I appreciate the PM's attention, but let's be honest - this issue has been festering for years. Why did it take a Supreme Court hearing to get the PM involved? Our students are not guinea pigs for experimentation. NTA needs a complete overhaul, not just monitoring. Also, linking with IITs is a good idea - they have the technical expertise.
The SC bench is absolutely right - most institutions in India run on ad hoc basis. It's not just NTA. We need systemic change across the board. PM monitoring is a positive step but structural reforms are the need of the hour. The CBT transition should be implemented with proper pilot testing, not rushed. Students' futures are at stake.
It's heartbreaking to see our education system in this mess. The SC's remark about "years of study and emotions" really hit home. My cousin had a breakdown when the controversy broke. At least now
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