Around 158 recruitment examination irregularity cases investigated by the CBI remain pending for trial, with some dating back more than two decades.

Delhi leads with 25 pending cases since 2000, including the AIIMS PG (2010-11), Delhi University Medical and Dental Entrance (2011), CAT (2004), SSC recruitment (2013), and teachers’ recruitment cases. Bihar has five pending cases, including three related to the alleged NEET 2024 paper leak and PMT irregularities of 2003 and 2011.

To expedite their disposal, the CBI will request high courts to transfer these cases to the special fast-track courts established under the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Act, 2026, while providing dedicated prosecutors for their conduct. The new law mandates time-bound trials, the transfer of pending cases, and unified hearings of related offences, aiming to address delays that government officials say undermine effective prosecution.

The state of the slow judiciary is reflected in the fact that some of these pending cases were registered more than two decades ago. These cases should be transferred to the special fast-track courts established under the new anti-paper leak law, with dedicated special prosecutors and the necessary resources for speedy trials, as proposed by the CBI. Delays in disposing of these cases only encourage more cases to add to the backlog.