On Monday, the Supreme Court directed the National Testing Agency (NTA) to fully disclose three major aspects of the NEET-UG paper leak case.
A three-judge bench, led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, ordered the NTA to reveal when the question paper leak occurred, how the papers were leaked, and the time between the leak and the actual NEET-UG examination on May 5.
Since the investigation has been assigned to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the Supreme Court instructed the investigating officer to file a status report, indicating the findings. The report should specifically address the timing of the leak and the methods used to distribute the question papers.
The court also mandated the NTA to disclose the steps taken to identify the beneficiaries of the paper leak. Additionally, the court inquired whether employing data analytics through the Cyber Forensics unit or any expert agency to identify suspect cases is feasible.
The court further required details on the procedures to be followed after the exam, including the retest for 1,563 students, and the commencement of the counseling process. The court sought clarification on the counseling status if the NTA’s ongoing efforts identify additional beneficiaries of the leak.
To preserve the integrity of the NEET examination and prevent future incidents, the Supreme Court suggested that the Centre consider forming a multidisciplinary committee. The court requested details about this committee, including whether its scope could be expanded to include a pool of talent with administrative and domain expertise.
The reports are to be submitted by Wednesday, July 10. Affidavits will be shared with the petitioners, and the CBI’s report will also be placed on record.
