Summary
The Supreme Court on Monday refused to direct authorities to conduct the upcoming NEET UG 2026 re-examination in Computer-Based Test (CBT) mode.
A bench comprising Justice P.S. Narasimha and Justice Aravind Kumar declined to grant immediate relief and adjourned the matter to July.
The Supreme Court on Monday refused to direct authorities to conduct the upcoming NEET UG 2026 re-examination in Computer-Based Test (CBT) mode, clearing the way for the June 21 re-test to be held in the existing pen-and-paper format.
A bench comprising Justice P.S. Narasimha and Justice Aravind Kumar declined to grant immediate relief and adjourned the matter to July. During the hearing, the counsel for the petitioner and Rajya Sabha MP Sudhakar Singh informed the court that he was pressing only the demand for conducting the re-examination through CBT mode.
The bench observed that similar pleas had already been dismissed in the past and noted the practical difficulties of changing the examination format at a time when preparations for the re-test were already underway. The court also pointed out that authorities were working under considerable pressure following the cancellation of the original examination and the need to conduct a fresh test.
The petition was filed after the NEET UG 2026 examination held on May 3 was cancelled amid allegations of a large-scale paper leak. Besides seeking a CBT-based examination, the plea called for extensive reforms in the conduct of NEET and other national-level entrance tests.
Among the major demands were a time-bound roadmap for shifting NEET UG to a fully computer-based format, enhanced cybersecurity measures, biometric verification, AI-enabled surveillance systems, encrypted transmission of question papers and digital locking mechanisms to prevent leaks.
The petition also sought the replacement of the National Testing Agency (NTA) with an independent statutory examination authority and the formation of a high-level committee comprising a retired Supreme Court judge, educationists, cybersecurity experts, forensic scientists, and administrators to recommend examination reforms.
Additionally, the petitioner sought strict action against individuals and organisations allegedly involved in paper leak networks, along with a status report from the Central Bureau of Investigation on its probe into the alleged NEET UG 2026 paper leak.
With the Supreme Court declining to intervene, the NEET UG 2026 re-examination will proceed on June 21 in the traditional offline mode. The broader issues relating to examination reforms and a possible transition to CBT are expected to be considered when the matter is heard again in July.
Last updated on 01 Jun 2026
