NEET-UG Reforms| Supreme Court Directs NTA To Publish Affidavit On Public Domain, Asks High-Powered Committee To File Progress Report
It was submitted in the affidavit that NTA is transitioning from exam-specific units to a functional vertical structure to build specialized domain-specific capabilities across core operational areas.
The Supreme Court directed the National Testing Agency (NTA) to publish its latest affidavit detailing organizational and administrative reforms on its official web portal for public transparency.
The Court also ordered the DoPT Joint Secretary to submit a progress report within two weeks on the High-Powered Committee's examination safeguards.
The Court was hearing the pleas filed by the Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) and other stakeholders in connection with the NEET UG 2026 paper leak case.
The Bench of Justice PS Narasimha and Justice Alok Aradhe ordered, "We direct NTA to place the affidavit on its web portal so that the progress made can be looked into by other stakeholders. We direct the Joint Secretary coordinating with the High-Powered Committee of DoPT who is coordinating with the Nandan Nilekani Committee, High-Powered Committee, to file an affidavit indicating the progress made by the committee, full stop. Let the affidavit be filed within a period of two weeks from today. List immediately after three weeks."
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta appeared for the Union.
Previously, the Court had directed the Union of India to submit an affidavit within three weeks detailing the steps taken to implement the suggestions made by the Radhakrishnan Committee, as nuanced by the Nandan Nilekani Committee.
Pursuant to that, the Secretary, Department of Higher Education, the Ministry of Education filed an affidavit. It was stated that NTA is transitioning from exam-specific units to a functional vertical structure to build specialized domain-specific capabilities across core operational areas.
It was also submitted that NTA leadership was upgraded with a Secretary-level officer as Director General, supported by cross-cadre officers from different services, along with open market recruitment of domain specialists in security, HR, and R&D.
It was further stated that senior leadership of NTA accordingly now draws officers from IAS, IPS, and Indian Statistical Service, Indian Ordnance Factories Service, Indian Supply Service, etc., bringing together specialist expertise across multiple domains.
As per the affidavit, confidential operations were also relocated to a dedicated 55,524 square feet government facility at Minto Road, New Delhi. It was also stated that it was secured by 39 CISF personnel, X-ray screening, metal detectors, etc.
The Court remarked, "We will come and see whether the system is actually in place, whether it is working or not working, manpower. We will drop in and then see. See, one of those aspects—permanency of a place, permanency of at least half of the staff. Not everybody should be a deputationist there, because there is no institutionalization with deputationists. There should be permanent staff."
Mehta submitted, "All suggestions given by all petitioners were duly placed before the Nilekani Committee."
A writ petition was preferred by the Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) following the systemic collapse and cancellation of the May 3 examination. Previously, the Court remarked that it is sad that NTA has not learned lessons from the earlier NEET paper leak, as it sought a response from the Centre, NTA and CBI on pleas for the replacement of the testing agency.
The Court had also directed the Union Ministry of Education to establish robust "institutional memory" and "institutional plurality" within the National Testing Agency (NTA).
On July 24, 2026, the Court made suggestions in a plea concerning structural and administrative reforms for conducting the NEET-UG examination, highlighting the urgent need to transition from temporary measures to permanent institutionalization. The Court suggested evaluating a shift from paper-based testing to CBT—similar to the JEE model—including the feasibility of multiple-session examinations.
The undergraduate-level National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) held on May 3 by the NTA for admissions to medical education programmes was cancelled on May 12 amid allegations of a paper leak, which are now being probed by the CBI.
Cause Title: Federation Of All India Medical Association v. National Testing Agency and Ors. [W.P.(C) No. 651/2026]