Parliamentary Committee Questions NTA Officials Over Alleged NEET Paper Leak

NEW DELHI, May 21: Members of a parliamentary panel on Thursday sharply questioned senior officials of the National Testing Agency (NTA) over the controversy surrounding the alleged NEET-UG paper leak, demanding clarity on lapses in the examination process and future safeguards to prevent such incidents.

During a meeting of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education, Women, Children, Youth and Sports, lawmakers raised concerns over the integrity of the medical entrance examination system after the cancellation of the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (Undergraduate) following allegations of question paper leakage.

According to sources, NTA Director General Abhishek Singh informed the committee that the examination paper was not leaked through the agency’s internal system. He maintained that the matter is currently under investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

However, several MPs questioned the explanation and asked how the breach took place if the agency’s system remained secure. Members also sought to know why the examination had to be cancelled and a re-test ordered if there had been no compromise within the NTA mechanism.

Sources said Singh did not directly respond to those questions and instead reiterated that the CBI inquiry was underway.

The parliamentary panel had summoned senior officials from the Education Ministry, including Education Secretary Vineet Joshi, along with NTA Chairperson Pradeep Kumar Joshi and other top functionaries, to review the situation and discuss reforms in the examination system.

During the meeting, NTA officials presented details regarding the implementation of recommendations made in the Radhakrishnan Report on reforms within the testing agency. The officials informed the panel that nearly 70 per cent of the short-term measures suggested in the report have already been put into effect.

The agency also briefed lawmakers on efforts being made to strengthen examination security, improve monitoring mechanisms and establish a more reliable process for question paper preparation and distribution.

According to sources, the officials stressed the need to involve credible and experienced professionals in sensitive examination-related operations to minimise the possibility of malpractice.

The NTA further informed the committee that conducting NEET examinations through a computer-based testing (CBT) mode is under active consideration. Officials said future entrance tests may gradually shift towards the digital format to improve transparency and reduce security vulnerabilities.

Members of Parliament also highlighted concerns regarding manpower shortages within the agency. Sources said the NTA acknowledged that nearly 25 per cent of posts remain vacant at present, which could affect operational efficiency.

Officials assured the panel that recruitment measures are being undertaken systematically to fill vacancies and eliminate administrative gaps that could lead to procedural weaknesses.

Some opposition MPs reportedly demanded that the findings of the ongoing investigation be submitted before the parliamentary committee. However, members from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) opposed the demand, arguing that the CBI should be allowed to complete its work independently without interference.

Following the meeting, committee chairperson and Congress leader Digvijaya Singh declined to disclose details of the deliberations, citing parliamentary norms.

“Whatever discussions happen in the parliamentary committee, we are under oath and we cannot discuss it,” he told reporters.

He later stated that the meeting was constructive and that members across party lines expressed concern regarding the controversy linked to the entrance examination.

Earlier, NTA officials also outlined several preventive steps adopted by the agency and the government to tackle breaches and malpractice during examinations. These include detailed standard operating procedures (SOPs), revised checklists for breach management in both pen-and-paper and computer-based modes, and closer coordination with state and district administrations.

The agency also said social media platforms are being actively monitored to detect suspicious activities and misinformation related to examinations.

According to the NTA, NEET-UG 2026 was conducted on May 3 across 5,432 centres in 565 cities, including 14 international locations. The examination was held in 13 languages.

More than 22.7 lakh candidates had registered for the examination, while over 22.05 lakh students appeared for the test.

The examination was later cancelled following allegations of paper leakage, and the re-test has been scheduled for June 21.