SC tags plea for CBT-based Neet with pending petitions on exam reforms

Top court says the issue of shifting NEET-UG to a computer-based format requires wider consideration and will hear it with pending petitions next week

The Supreme Court on Monday deferred hearing on a plea seeking a shift of the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (Neet-UG) to a computer-based test (CBT) format, deciding to hear it along with two pending petitions seeking broader structural reforms in the examination system.

 

A Bench of Justice P S Narasimha and Justice Alok Aradhe noted that the issue of transitioning from the existing pen-and-paper format to CBT requires wider consideration. The matter will now be taken up with the petitions filed by the United Doctors Front and the Federation of All India Medical Association, which are already listed for hearing next Monday.

 

 

The court had earlier declined to direct the National Testing Agency (NTA) to conduct the cancelled Neet-UG 2026 examination through CBT but kept open the larger question of whether the examination should eventually move to a computer-based format.

 

During Monday's hearing, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta informed the court that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced a high-level task force headed by former Infosys Executive Chairman Nandan Nilekani to recommend structural reforms in the NTA.

 

The committee includes former ISRO Chairman S Somanath, former Intelligence Bureau Director Tapan Deka, IIT Madras Director V Kamakoti, former Education Secretary Anita Karwal and senior bureaucrat Amrit Lal Meena.

 

Last week, the Bench had said it would monitor the implementation of the recommendations of the committee headed by former ISRO Chairman K Radhakrishnan, which had also favoured a gradual transition to CBT. It had directed the Centre to file a comprehensive affidavit explaining its roadmap for the transition and the safeguards proposed to prevent cybersecurity breaches and data leaks.

 

The present petition, filed by RJD MP Sudhakar Singh, seeks sweeping reforms in the conduct of Neet-UG, including the replacement of the NTA with an independent statutory examination authority, adoption of encrypted digital question-paper systems, biometric verification, AI-based surveillance, stronger cybersecurity measures and phased implementation of CBT. It also seeks a status report from the CBI on the probe into the alleged Neet-UG 2026 paper leak and publication of centre-wise examination results to improve transparency.