NEET Exam Leak & After
By Dhurjati Mukherjee
The lack of good governance in the country is widely acknowledged. Effective and stringent oversight of public institutions could significantly enhance efficiency and substantially reduce corruption. The recent leak of the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) examination is yet another example of administrative lapses and inadequate accountability in the management of crucial public processes. In the wake of the controversy, Union Human Resource Development Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has acknowledged responsibility for the incident, highlighting the seriousness of the issue and the need for systemic reforms to restore public confidence.
At the outset it needs to be emphasised that given the National Testing Agency’s (NTA’s) record in conducting 24 exams by 2024, a parliamentary standing committee in its review of high education bodies in December 2026 laid emphasis on pen-and-paper testing for NEET given that “NTA’s recent performance has not inspired confidence”.
In fact, the Supreme Court has refused to direct the NTA to conduct re-test of NEET-UG 2026, scheduled on June 21, through a Computer-Based Test (CBT) mode instead of the existing pen-and-paper format.Expressing disinclination to grant the relief, the two-judge bench posted the matter to July, effectively denying the relief for the NEET re-test.
The decision to make the NEET computer-based test (CBT) does not necessarily imply an online exam equals a safe exam, as per experts, due to the advent of digital fraud. Prof. Suman Chakraborty, Director, IIT-Kharagpur, observed the need for a paradigm shift including “encrypted item banks, last mile question activation, multiple equivalent question sets, AI-enabled anomaly detection, biometric identity verification, jammer-enable centres, and deep-tech surveillance”. Some have suggested conducting NEET twice a year to make it in time for the exam.
The recent leak of question paper is nothing new as there have been such leaks in 2024 and 2027. In 2019, several candidates used proxies to appear in the NEET after which biometric checks were tightened. However, earlier the leaks were considered localised and did not trigger cancellation of the exam. Having to spend Rs 10-20 lakhs, the question paper could seem like a worthwhile one-time investment if it boosts chances of securing admission to a government college or even a cheaper private college.
Clearly, the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, enacted to curb question paper leaks and organised malpractices in major recruitment and entrance examinations such as UPSC, SSC, NEET and JEE, has so far failed to serve as an effective deterrent. This is despite the stringent provisions of the law, which prescribe penalties ranging from three to ten years of imprisonment and fines between Rs 10 lakh and Rs 1 crore, depending on the gravity of the offence. The persistence of such scandals suggests that the enormous financial incentives behind these crimes continue to outweigh the fear of punishment, exposing serious shortcomings in enforcement and governance.
While the number of MBBS seats has increased significantly—from about 51,000 in 2014 to nearly 1.2 lakh today—the number of aspirants appearing for the medical entrance examination has also risen sharply, from around 11 lakh in 2017 to over 22 lakh this year. Consequently, competition for admission remains intense despite the expansion in capacity.
Earlier, eligibility for appearing in the medical entrance examination required candidates to secure a minimum of 50 per cent marks in their Class XII board examinations. However, this criterion was later relaxed, making a mere pass in the qualifying examination sufficient for eligibility. Critics argue this change has diluted the importance of school education and encouraged an excessive number of candidates to enter an already highly competitive process.
There is a case for reconsidering the earlier eligibility norms so that only academically prepared students are allowed to take the exam. Some educationists suggest the qualifying benchmark could be restored, or even raised to 60 per cent, in line with minimum standards followed in many government and private sector recruitments. They contend that when a large majority of students routinely score well above 60 per cent in Class XII exams, there is little rationale for permitting every passing candidate to appear for a highly specialised and demanding professional entrance test. Such a measure, they argue, could help reduce the burden on the exam system while reinforcing the importance of school-level academic performance.
The Supreme Court has been petitioned seeking restructuring or replacement of the NTA, which conducts the NEET. Even Artificial Intelligence (AI) and GPS tracking have proved to be inadequate against organised malpractice. Note, competitive exams exert immense psychological pressure on students due to performance anxiety and other attendant factors and sudden invalidation of the exam has forced lakhs of students back into that cycle.
This apart, there is an economic cost as well – the coaching centres that students flock to prepare for such tests often charge a high fee. Worryingly, persistent disruptions have eroded confidence in public institutions and deepened anxiety among candidates.
Insofar as the question of the paper leaks is concerned, can the root be found in the coaching centres that take a lot of money from students? Do they operate with or without the help of influential politicians or their accomplices? Answers are critical.
This apart, it’s necessary to examine the mental status of students when these exams are deferred. There are reports of students crying uncontrollably, refusing meals, withdrawing socially and staying awake entire nights. The mental agony of students who have prepared for the exam after months of rigorous study needs to be understood and authorities must ensure to spare them this ordeal
To sum up, the government must maintain strict monitoring and keep awatchful eye on the flourishing trade of coaching centres, which are behind the paper leaks. The larger question which needs attention is that unless governance in public institutions in the education sector improve, this will have a negative effect on the student community, specially those who aspire for higher education. At least till now, there have not been any major allegations against the UPSC in recruiting IAS, IAAS, IPS and other such officers and it is to be believed that only those who have merit achieve the desired results. But it also needs to be pointed out that many brilliant students from the lower echelons of society do not get a chance because they cannot afford proper coaching.
Though the education minister announced a set of reforms and a phased transition towards computer-based testing, there is need to delve deep into the core weaknesses of the exam infrastructure. Undeniably, India’s uneven digital infrastructure raises concerns regarding systems failures, connectivity disruptions and unequal access for candidates from rural and economically weaker backgrounds. Thus, to ensure not just free and fair exams and whether NEET should run on the JEE template, it is necessary that facilities are extended to the last student on the street, so that he/she is able to come up in life and compete with his counterparts in metros and big cities.— INFA
