‘Exams Of Crores Can’t Run Like This’: Doctors' Body Moves SC Seeking To Scrap NTA After NEET Paper Leak

Last Updated:May 16, 2026, 13:40 IST

Dr Lakshya Mittal, Chairperson of UDF, said examinations deciding the future of millions of students require stronger constitutional and parliamentary accountability.

The United Doctors Front (UDF) has moved the Supreme Court seeking the dissolution of the National Testing Agency (NTA) in its current form and demanding the creation of a new statutory examination authority through a law passed by Parliament.

The petition comes amid controversy surrounding the conduct of NEET-UG 2026 and raises concerns over repeated examination-related failures.

The NEET-UG 2026 paper leak has affected more than 22 lakh students across the country. The cancellation of the examination created major uncertainty for medical aspirants preparing for admissions. The National Testing Agency (NTA) has issued fresh guidelines for the re-examination scheduled on June 21. The paper leak is now under CBI investigation. So far, seven people have been arrested.

What are UDF’s demands?

The plea asks the Supreme Court to direct the Union government to either constitute or restructure the NTA through a statutory framework enacted by Parliament.

At present, the NTA functions as a body registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860. The petition seeks its dissolution in the current format and calls for the establishment of a statutory national testing body with clearly defined legal powers and accountability mechanisms.

According to the petition, examinations affecting crores of students should not continue under what it described as a “society-act registered autonomous NGO-like framework".

Call for parliamentary oversight

The UDF has requested the court to direct the Centre to introduce legislation in Parliament to establish a fully independent statutory national testing authority.

The proposed body, according to the plea, should function with direct parliamentary oversight and include strong anti-paper leak systems, cybersecurity safeguards and Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) audits.

The petition also demands a statutory grievance redressal system, mandatory transparency norms and a strict accountability structure.

Court-monitored committee sought

The plea further asks the Supreme Court to constitute a court-monitored committee to supervise the transition of upcoming national examinations.

The committee, according to the petition, should ensure that future examinations are conducted with “zero-leak integrity".

The UDF said repeated controversies surrounding entrance examinations have severely damaged the confidence of students and parents in the national testing process.

The petition alleges systemic failure by the NTA in conducting NEET-UG 2026.

It stated that NEET-UG serves as the sole gateway for undergraduate medical admissions in India and directly impacts the future of over 22.7 lakh students.

According to the plea, repeated compromises of the examination process amount to a violation of the constitutional guarantees of equality and the right to life and livelihood under Articles 14 and 21.

‘Need structural reform’

Dr Lakshya Mittal, Chairperson of the United Doctors Front, said examinations deciding the future of millions of students require stronger constitutional and parliamentary accountability.

“Exams of crores of students cannot run under a Society Act model lacking adequate accountability," he said.

Dr Mittal added that the country now needed a transparent and constitutionally accountable statutory examination authority focused on protecting students’ interests and preserving merit-based selection.

News india ‘Exams Of Crores Can’t Run Like This’: Doctors' Body Moves SC Seeking To Scrap NTA After NEET Paper Leak

Read More