'It's traumatic, shouldn't disappoint our youngsters': SC asks Centre to make NEET fool-proof

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday directed the Centre to file response on how to strengthen the National Testing Agency and to make NEET fool-proof.

A bench of justices PS Narasimha and Alok Aradhe said that the affidavit must explain how institutional memory and expertise would be developed within the National Testing Agency (NTA) through the deployment of specialised personnel and a broad-based composition of experts.



The top court observed that the endeavour must be to ensure that the NTA “possesses the necessary physical as well as intellectual wherewithal to prevent the recurrence of incidents such as the NEET examination controversies of 2024 and 2026”. The affidavit has been directed to be filed within six weeks.

Also read: How NTA plans to prevent another breach — key reforms told to SC
"It is actually very traumatic if something like this happens. We should not disappoint our youngsters," the bench said.

It further said that responsibility has to be fixed if it happens again.

During the hearing, the Court noted response filed by the NTA and the Chairman of the High Powered Committee Dr K Radhakrishnan.

Meanwhile, solicitor general Tushar Mehta representing Centre informed the Court that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself is monitoring the issue.

"We are dealing with youths; govt seriously concerned about their concerns," he said.

"Prime minister personally supervising so that there is no lacunae," he added.

Also read: What Centre, NTA told Supreme Court on NEET paper leak
This comes after All India Medical Association and United Doctors Front filled petition in the top court, accusing the NTA of failing to protect the integrity of one of India’s largest and most competitive examinations.

Earlier, the apex court made strong observations against the testing agency, remarking that it was “sad that NTA has not learned lessons from the earlier NEET paper leak.”