The alleged NEET-UG 2026 paper leak, reported on May 3 and later leading to the cancellation of India's largest undergraduate medical entrance examination, continues to draw strong reactions from the medical fraternity.
The paper leak has triggered widespread protests by NEET aspirants and students across India, demanding accountability, while resident doctors' associations have publicly backed calls for a transparent investigation and systemic reforms to restore confidence in the examination system.
A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi assured students that those responsible would face the strictest action and reaffirmed the Centre's commitment to conducting examinations in a fair and transparent manner.
In a post on X, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said:
"Nothing is more important than the welfare and future of our youth."
He said he had instructed the concerned authorities to take all necessary measures, including establishing fast-track courts to handle such cases.
Medical bodies including the Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA), the United Doctors Front (UDF), the Resident Doctors' Association (RDA), AIIMS New Delhi, the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), PGIMER Chandigarh, and the Healthcare Reforms Doctors Association (HRDA) have issued official statements or approached the Supreme Court, urging the Centre to strengthen the integrity of India's medical entrance examination system. FAIMA and UDF are among the petitioners seeking structural reforms in the conduct of NEET-UG.
As the Supreme Court heard a batch of petitions related to the alleged NEET-UG 2026 paper leak on July 24, the Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) submitted a series of recommendations aimed at strengthening the examination process ahead of the proposed transition to a Computer-Based Test (CBT).
According to an official statement issued by FAIMA after the hearing, the Supreme Court directed the Union Government to file an affidavit on key aspects concerning the conduct of the NEET-UG examination, observing that the objective was to institutionalise and strengthen the examination mechanism to prevent future incidents of paper leaks or examination malpractice.
Representing FAIMA, advocate Ms. Tanvi Dubey urged the Court to ensure that a detailed Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) is published well in advance for the proposed CBT format, considering that nearly 22 lakh students are expected to appear for the examination.
FAIMA recommended that the SOP clearly define safeguards across all three stages of the examination, including the pre-examination, examination and post-examination phases, with specific measures for security, evaluation and transparency. The association also requested that official CBT mock tests and demonstration examinations be made available sufficiently in advance so that students can familiarise themselves with the new examination pattern.
The matter has been adjourned to August 3, 2026, with the Supreme Court directing the Union Government to submit its affidavit before the next hearing.
The United Doctors Front (UDF) has also approached the Supreme Court, arguing that repeated examination controversies require structural reforms rather than temporary measures.
Writing on X ahead of the hearing, Dr. Lakshya Mittal, National President of UDF, said:
"Our stand is clear: Sack the National Testing Agency (NTA) and replace it with a statutory National Examination Authority established through an Act of Parliament."
He added that repeated paper leaks and examination controversies reflected the absence of a truly accountable statutory framework and argued that a body created through an Act of Parliament would ensure greater transparency, responsibility and institutional oversight.
"UDF's PIL seeks systemic reform, not temporary fixes. India deserves an examination system that students can trust."
In a letter addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Resident Doctors' Association (RDA), AIIMS New Delhi, said the alleged paper leak had undermined confidence in one of India's most important competitive examinations.
"The alleged paper leak has shaken public confidence in the fairness and credibility of one of India's most important competitive examinations," the association wrote.
The AIIMS RDA urged the government to ensure "a thorough, impartial, and time-bound investigation" and take "the strictest possible legal action against every individual or organization found to be involved, irrespective of their position or influence."
The association also called for systemic reforms to strengthen examination security and prevent similar incidents in the future.
In the same letter, the AIIMS RDA expressed concern over the handling of peaceful protests, stating that public trust in educational, administrative and democratic institutions remains essential for a strong and progressive India.
The Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), PGIMER Chandigarh, expressed solidarity with NEET-UG aspirants and urged the government to take immediate action.
In its official statement, the association said:
"The alleged NEET-UG 2026 paper leak has severely shaken the confidence of students and the public in one of the nation's most crucial competitive entrance examinations."
The ARD urged the government to conduct "a swift, transparent, and impartial investigation" to fix accountability on all perpetrators.
The association further stated that "concrete systemic reforms must be implemented immediately to prevent future recurrences and restore trust in India's examination framework."
It also condemned reports of violence against students and medical personnel during protests, calling for democratic values to be upheld while maintaining law and order.
The Healthcare Reforms Doctors Association (HRDA) said the integrity of NEET-UG is fundamental to ensuring merit-based medical admissions.
"NEET UG is the gateway to the medical profession and every student deserves a fair, transparent and merit-based examination. Any compromise in this integrity is a grave injustice to honest aspirants and undermines public trust in India's education system," the association said in its statement.
In a separate press statement, Henri Tiphagne, National Working Secretary of HRDA, said the protests in Tamil Nadu should be viewed in a broader national context, arguing that they reflected concerns over both the alleged NEET paper leak and the handling of student protests in New Delhi. He said the demonstrations were a response to actions taken against protesters raising similar demands in the national capital.
With the Supreme Court hearing multiple petitions on the alleged paper leak and the Union Government expected to file its affidavit before the next hearing, calls for reform continue to gain momentum.
(Rh/ARC/MSM)