NEET Paper Leak: Supreme Court Refuses Immediate Hearing On Demand For Computer-Based Re-Exam

(MENAFN- Live Mint) The Supreme Court on Monday declined to grant an urgent hearing on a petition requesting that the NEET UG 2026 re-examination, scheduled for June 21, be held in computer-based test (CBT) mode instead of the conventional pen-and-paper format.

The matter was mentioned before a vacation bench comprising PS Narasimha and Arvind Kumar, which refused to hear it on an urgent basis and stated that it would be taken up after the court's vacation.

Responding to the plea, Justice Narasimha said,“They (NTA) are reholding the exam. The kind of pressure they have. We will post after vacation.”

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Meanwhile, Congress MP Digvijaya Singh arrived at the Parliament House Annexe to preside over a meeting of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education, Women, Children, Youth and Sports. The committee is set to discuss the merits of pen-and-paper examinations versus computer-based testing (CBT), along with issues related to the NEET examination and the National Testing Agency (NTA).

The meeting's first agenda item is the consideration and adoption of the 381st Report, which reviews the government's action taken on recommendations made in the 364th Report concerning the Demands for Grants (2025–26) of the Department of Higher Education under the Education Ministry.

On Tuesday, the committee will convene again to assess the implementation of On-Screen Marking (OSM) in CBSE Class 12 examinations and examine challenges faced by students.

The panel will also discuss the implementation of the three-language formula for students in Classes 9 and 10.

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These discussions come amid continuing concerns and debates surrounding the conduct of NEET-UG and CBSE Class 12 examinations.

This year's NEET-UG exam was cancelled and has been rescheduled for June 21. As part of its probe into the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak case, the CBI has arrested 13 accused.

Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Director Praveen Sood and National Testing Agency (NTA) Director General Abhishek Singh on Friday attended the meeting of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Government Assurances held to review an update on the investigation into the NEET-UG paper leak

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Meanwhile, amid the ongoing controversy surrounding its On-Screen Marking (OSM) evaluation process, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) said it has closely monitored vulnerabilities flagged in the OnMark portal of its service provider and has deployed cybersecurity experts to strengthen the system.

Protest erupts over NEET UG 2026 paper leak

Members of the Indian Youth Congress staged a protest in Pune, Maharashtra, on Sunday over the alleged NEET UG 2026 paper leak. The demonstrators demanded action against Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and called for justice for students affected by the controversy.

Speaking with ANI, IYC National President Uday Bhanu Chib accused the Education Minister of "selling the youth's future for money" and demanded strict action against him over the matter.

Affirming trust in Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's leadership, Chib said that the IYC will continue the protests until justice is served to the impacted youth.

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"We have protested in Pune, and there is only one demand regarding the traitor Dharmendra Pradhan, who is out to sell the future of students and youth for the greed of money. Until action is taken against him, the Youth Congress will continue to struggle under Rahul Gandhi's leadership. Protests are happening across the country. Until justice is served to the youth of the country, protests will continue nationwide," he said. '

In a related development, the Rouse Avenue Court on Saturday extended the CBI custody of Manisha Sanjay Hawaldar in connection with the NEET UG paper leak case. The court also remanded Manisha Mandhare to judicial custody after the completion of 14 days of CBI interrogation.

Special CBI Judge Ajay Gupta extended Hawaldar's custody until Monday to facilitate further investigation. She was produced before the court after six days in CBI custody following her arrest in Pune, Maharashtra. According to investigators, Hawaldar worked as a physics expert and translator for physics-related examination content.

(With inputs from agencies)

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