Two years after NEET UG examination was cancelled over a paper leak and promises were made to strengthen the system, National Testing Agency was once again forced on Tuesday to cancel the 2026 round following allegations of yet another leak. According to reports, 120 out of 410 questions in a 'guess paper' bore an uncanny resemblance to questions in the actual exam.
In 2024, the leak triggered protests, Supreme Court hearings, a CBI investigation, and the setting up of a committee headed by former Isro chairman K Radhakrishnan to investigate the issue and recommend solutions. The panel made 101 recommendations. Of these, 5 have been implemented, 12 partially implemented, and 84 remain unimplemented. The most critical reforms relating to the transmission of exam papers, the governance structure of the agency and a two-stage examination system remain pending. GoI needs to step up the pace of implementing the recommendations it has accepted.
While implementation of all recommendations will help, it is unlikely to end paper leaks. Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act 2024 prescribes penalties of up to 10 yrs in prison and fines of up to ₹1 cr. It has not worked. Plugging the leak requires narrowing the demand-supply mismatch. The huge gap unleashes high-stakes competition that feeds a high-profit, high-value industry. With entrance examinations functioning more like elimination rounds than qualifying tests, the coaching industry becomes critical, selling the dream of admissions while looking for an inside track to justify its promises. Increasing seats to achieve a healthier demand-supply ratio, aligning admissions with the school syllabus and implementing the 101 recommendations could deliver results.
In 2024, the leak triggered protests, Supreme Court hearings, a CBI investigation, and the setting up of a committee headed by former Isro chairman K Radhakrishnan to investigate the issue and recommend solutions. The panel made 101 recommendations. Of these, 5 have been implemented, 12 partially implemented, and 84 remain unimplemented. The most critical reforms relating to the transmission of exam papers, the governance structure of the agency and a two-stage examination system remain pending. GoI needs to step up the pace of implementing the recommendations it has accepted.
While implementation of all recommendations will help, it is unlikely to end paper leaks. Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act 2024 prescribes penalties of up to 10 yrs in prison and fines of up to ₹1 cr. It has not worked. Plugging the leak requires narrowing the demand-supply mismatch. The huge gap unleashes high-stakes competition that feeds a high-profit, high-value industry. With entrance examinations functioning more like elimination rounds than qualifying tests, the coaching industry becomes critical, selling the dream of admissions while looking for an inside track to justify its promises. Increasing seats to achieve a healthier demand-supply ratio, aligning admissions with the school syllabus and implementing the 101 recommendations could deliver results.
