New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday (August 19) sought details of the steps taken by the government to implement recommendations aimed at overhauling the NEET examination system, including those made by committees led by K Radhakrishnan and Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said its first meeting was held on Wednesday. The court also called for technological changes and stronger infrastructure to ensure entrance examinations are conducted reliably. The court directed the education ministry secretary to file an affidavit within three weeks detailing the steps taken to implement the Radhakrishnan committee’s recommendations, which the Nilekani-led panel was tasked with refining and expanding. The affidavit must also include a proposed timeline for implementation. At the beginning of the hearing, Mehta outlined the safeguards used from printing NEET question papers to their delivery to candidates. They are transported under police protection and tracked using GPS before being stored in bank strong rooms.
A bench of Justices PS Narasimha and Alok Aradhe said reforms at the National Testing Agency (NTA) must become institutional rather than depend on individual officials. The Centre told the court that the high-powered task force headed by Nilekani had been constituted to examine structural reforms. The court was also said that recommendations under consideration include the use of artificial intelligence and blockchain technology to strengthen examination security and reliability. The SG said question papers are sent to designated printing presses monitored by CCTV cameras and the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF).
Investigation into NEET-UG Paper Leak Progresses
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is currently looking into allegations regarding a leak of the 2024 NEET-UG examination paper. This investigation follows a recent ruling by the Supreme Court, which opted not to cancel the upcoming examination. However, the court has mandated measures to prevent future question-paper leaks and has established specific criteria under which a public examination may be annulled.
