The Supreme Court on Wednesday said a bench headed by Justice P S Narasimha will hear in July a plea challenging the decision to conduct the NEET-UG 2026 re-test, which was ordered following allegations of a question paper leak.
The matter came up before a bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice V Mohana.
The Chief Justice said the petition would be taken up by a bench led by Justice Narasimha after the apex court resumes regular functioning following its partial court working schedule.
The plea challenges the decision to re-conduct the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (Undergraduate), or NEET-UG 2026, and seeks the quashing of the re-test scheduled for June 21.
The National Testing Agency (NTA) had cancelled the examination conducted on May 3 amid allegations of a paper leak. The matter is currently under investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation.
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The petition has also sought directions for the introduction of secure, technology-driven examination systems for future national-level tests. It has proposed measures such as encrypted digital question delivery, biometric authentication, artificial intelligence-assisted monitoring and secure computer-based examination infrastructure.
In addition, the plea has urged the court to direct the Centre to constitute an independent expert committee to examine structural, institutional and operational deficiencies in the functioning of the National Testing Agency.
As interim relief, the petitioner has sought a stay on the decision to conduct the re-test until the matter is finally decided.
The Justice Narasimha-led bench is already hearing a batch of separate petitions related to NEET-UG 2026.
While considering those petitions on May 29, the Supreme Court observed that concerns surrounding the medical entrance examination would persist until there was "actual accountability" for lapses.
Appearing for the Centre, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta had told the court that the government was treating the issue seriously and that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was personally monitoring the situation to ensure there were no shortcomings in the conduct of the re-test.
He had also informed the court that new safeguards and mechanisms had been introduced for the June 21 examination.
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