The Union Government has informed the Supreme Court that it has undertaken a comprehensive overhaul of the National Testing Agency's (NTA) examination processes following the controversy surrounding NEET-UG 2026, asserting that a multi-layered security architecture has now been put in place to ensure the integrity of national entrance examinations.

Responding to petitions seeking structural reforms of the NTA, the Centre detailed the measures adopted pursuant to the Court's May 29, 2026 order directing it to explain how the conduct of NEET examinations would be institutionalised so that lessons learnt from previous cycles are preserved and future lapses prevented.

Computer-based testing under consideration

The affidavit, filed by Arvind Kumar Sinha, Under Secretary in the Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education, notes that while the NTA has migrated several national examinations to computer-based testing, NEET remains the only major examination conducted in pen-and-paper mode because of its scale and inclusivity.

The Government stated that migration of NEET to computer-based testing is presently under active consideration, with stakeholders examining a phased transition beginning with a two-stage model similar to JEE. It added that the final decision will be taken after considering recommendations of the High Level Task Force, and only after consulting with the stakeholders and with adequate notice to the candidates.

Two landmark measures by Centre

As per the affidavit, the Centre has stated that it has adopted two landmark measures. First, the enactment of the Public Examination(Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Act, 2026, amending the 2024 legislation that criminalises paper leakages, impersonation of candidates, tampering with computer networks, and other malpractices. The amendment has introduced more stringent punishments and provisions for fast-track courts.

Second, it has constituted a High-Powered Task Force on June 27 under the chairmanship of Nandam Nilekani, co-founder of Infosys and former chairperson of UIDAI. It comprises S Somanath, former chairman of ISRO; Tapan Deka, former Director, IB; V Kamakoti, Director of IIT Madras; Anita Karwal, former Secretary, Department of School Education and Literacy, and Amit Lal Meena, former Chief Secretary, Bihar.

As per the mandate, the Task Force is to review, recommend and guide the implementation of end-to-end reforms in the NEET conducted by the National Testing Agency(NTA). It will submit recommendations within three months.

On integrity of NEET exam

Centre says that under the leadership of Dr K Radhakrishnan, former chairman of ISRO, who heads the High-Level Committee of Experts, a comprehensive end-to-end security design has been put in place which covers every stage of the examination, from the setting of the question papers to placing the paper in the candidate's hand to the declaration of results.

However, it has been stated that the security infrastructure and protocol, that is, the Standard Operating Procedure, can't be revealed due to confidentiality. Broadly stated, the examination is set by a pool of subject-matter experts who are brought together at a single, secured location under complete isolation.

No electronic devices are permitted inside the premises, and every person leaving the premises is frisked. The security of the location is in the hands of the Central Armed Police Forces.

The experts prepare a comprehensive question bank comprising at least 5 times the number of questions, which are placed in a secure question bank. From here, questions are selected in a manner that no single person has the visibility of the complete paper that will be administered.

Each paper is then translated in 13 languages used artifical intelligence.

Moreover, multiple sets of question papers are finalised and are taken forward, in parallel, through the entire pipeline of translation, printing, packing, movement, and secure storage in the custodian bank. Centre says if any input regarding a possible compromise of one set is received at any stage before the examination, another set can be substituted on short notice.

Printing, packing, and transportation of papers

NTA carries out a panel of confidential printers. For each cycle of exams, more than one set of question paper is kept ready, which is printed at different printers. Printing is conducted under continuous surveillance, and CRPF is deployed at each printer's premises.

As for the packing, the question papers are designed with multiple layers of tamper-proof protection. It carries a unique QR code per box.

It is stated that the papers are placed in a metal steel trunk with GPS, and with one-time locks which have no key and can only be broken open by cutting. The vehicles carrying sealed trucks are transported under the CAPF escort to the custodian banks.

On the examination day, which set of paper is to be used is decided by a small number of authorised personnel. From the custodian bank to the examination centre, the papers are escorted under the Executive Magistrate, CAPF and the State policy.

At the examination centres, there is frisking with hand-held metal detectors, biometric verification comprising fingerprint, facial recognition and identity authentication.

The same procedure is followed after the conclusion of the examination. Each candidate's answer on an OMR sheet is prepared in two copies that are packed separately at the centre itself.

The petitioners were represented by Adv Charu Mathur and Ritu Raniwal AOR (for UDF), and Adv Tanvi Dubey for the Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA)

Union's Affidavit filed through Advocate Madhulika Upadhyay

Case : Federation of All India Medical Association v. Union of India | WP(c) 651/2026