The Supreme Court on Monday declined to pass an immediate directive on a petition seeking that the June 21 NEET UG-2026 retest be computer-based instead of the conventional pen-and-paper mode.

A bench of Justices Pamidighantam Sri Narasimha and Aravind Kumar said it cannot entertain the plea as it would create more problems at a time the NEET-UG exam was mired in controversy. The court posted the plea for further hearing in July after the summer recess.

The medical entrance exam, held on May 3, was cancelled over allegations of a paper leak.

Justice Narasimha, heading the bench, told counsel Satyam Singh Rajput and others appearing for the petitioner, RJD MP Sudhakar Singh, that ordering a switch to the online mode would create practical difficulties for the authorities. The court pointed out that it had rejected similar petitions earlier, a reference to the scenario after the NEET-UG paper leak in 2024.

“There is no question of conducting the re-test in the CBT (computer-based test) mode. They (the National Testing Agency) are already under too much pressure. The exam was cancelled and it’s being reconducted,” Justice Narasimha told the counsel. “The kind of pressure they have… we will post it after vacation.”

In the case under consideration, the petitioner had urged the apex court to “issue an appropriate writ, order or direction, more particularly a writ in the nature of mandamus, directing the respondents to conduct the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (Undergraduate) through computer-based test mode instead of the existing pen-and-paper mode in the re-conduct process scheduled to be held on June 21”.

The Supreme Court had on Friday questioned the NTA on why there were no paper leaks in exams conducted by the Union Public Service Commission and directed the government to fix responsibility on specific individuals for such fiascos.

Trio custody

A Delhi court on Monday sent three accused in the NEET paper leak case — a physics lecturer empanelled by the NTA as translator, a Latur-based paediatrician and a physics tutor — to 14 days’ judicial custody.

Special judge Ajay Gupta allowed the CBI’s plea seeking judicial custody of physics translator Manisha Sanjay Hawaldar, paediatrician Manoj Shirure and physics teacher Tejas Harshadkumar Shah. Hawaldar’s CBI custody was extended by two days on Saturday, while Shirure and Shah had been sent for five days’ custodial interrogation on May 27. The CBI alleged that Hawaldar had, in conspiracy with other accused persons and without authorisation, kept and distributed the NEET-UG exam paper for money.

It alleged that Shirure played a “key role” in helping three students — including the son of Shivraj Raghunath Motegaonkar, who runs the Renukai Chemistry Classes in Maharashtra’s Latur — get chemistry questions from NEET paper setter P.V. Kulkarni. The agency has arrested Montegaonkar and Kulkarni, the alleged kingpin.

Aspirant ‘suicide’

An NEET aspirant was found dead in Jharkhand’s Koderma district, following which her family claimed that she took her life as she was upset with the medical entrance test being cancelled.

The incident took place in Chitragupt Nagar in the Telaiya police station area on Sunday night, the police said.

The 17-year-old girl was alone in her room when her family called her for dinner. After receiving no response for a long time, family members forced open the door and found her body hanging by a scarf, they said.

Additional reporting by PTI