A fresh legal challenge over the conduct of the NEET-UG 2026 examination has reached the Supreme Court of India after the Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) filed a Public Interest Litigation seeking the replacement of the National Testing Agency (NTA) with an independent body for conducting national-level entrance examinations.
The petition comes days after the NTA cancelled the NEET-UG 2026 examination following allegations of a large-scale question paper leak and examination irregularities affecting more than 22 lakh aspirants across the country. Investigations linked to the controversy are currently underway in multiple states, including Rajasthan, where authorities have detained several suspects in connection with the alleged leak network.
Advocate Tanvi Dube, appearing for FAIMA, said the writ petition highlights repeated discrepancies and controversies associated with national entrance examinations conducted by the NTA over the years. She argued that recurring irregularities have severely impacted the confidence of students preparing for highly competitive medical entrance examinations.
According to the petition, lakhs of students appear for NEET every year with the hope of securing admission to medical colleges, but repeated controversies surrounding examination integrity have created uncertainty and emotional distress among aspirants and their families.
The plea seeks the constitution of a high-powered committee under the supervision of the Supreme Court to oversee the entire examination process and recommend structural reforms in the conduct of national-level entrance tests. The petition also requested that the upcoming NEET re-examination, expected to be scheduled shortly after the cancellation of the previous exam, be conducted under direct judicial supervision to ensure transparency and fairness.
FAIMA further argued that independent monitoring mechanisms are necessary to prevent future paper leaks, impersonation attempts and organised malpractice networks that allegedly exploit weaknesses in the current examination system.
The development comes after NTA Director General Abhishek Singh recently announced that the agency aims to conduct the re-examination within the next seven to ten days to avoid disruption to the academic calendar and medical admissions process. He also assured that all accused involved in the leak case would face legal action and confirmed that examination fees paid by students would be refunded, with no additional fee charged for the re-exam.
The NEET controversy has triggered nationwide political debate, student protests and growing calls for reforms in India’s examination system. Several education experts and opposition leaders have questioned the credibility of the current testing mechanism, while the Centre has promised strict action against those involved in malpractice.
The Supreme Court is expected to hear the matter in the coming days as scrutiny intensifies over the future of India’s largest medical entrance examination.