India's Supreme Court is gearing up to consult a high-powered task force led by former UIDAI chairman Nandan Nilekani on shifting NEET-UG to computer-based format. This comes after RJD MP Sudhakar Singh pushed for big changes following NEET-UG 2026 exam’s cancellation due to a major paper leak.
The May 3, 2026, exam was called off amid leak allegations . On July 27,2026, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the court the government was serious about fixing this mess, forming a task force to tackle it.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the task force on July 26, 2026,pushing for a tech-driven,leak-proof exam system. Heavyweights like former ISRO chief S. Somanath, ex-Intelligence Bureau Director Tapan Deka,IIT Madras Director V. Kamakoti, former Education Secretary Anita Karwal, and logistics expert Amrit Lal Meena are on board.
Justice P.S. Narasimha and Justice Alok Aradhe will reconvene on August 3 to discuss NEET reforms with input from the task force. court wants advice on shifting from pen-and-paper to computer-based exams and securing exam data .
Justice Narasimha voiced concerns about data security during this changeover,stressing the need for extra safeguards . Mehta assured the court that Nilekani would pinpoint necessary reforms.
The bench had earlier slammed stopgap measures like using Air Force to ferry question papers. Justice Narasimha said these were just band-aid solutions, calling for a lasting institutional fix.
The Supreme Court also told Centre to file another affidavit with a detailed plan for reforms, including a cybersecurity framework and who would enforce it. Justice Narasimha questioned how digitizing exams would secure data,especially encrypting question papers.
Meanwhile, the government is pushing tougher anti-cheating laws through the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026 . Penalties for exam fraud would rise, with jail time for leaking papers jumping from three to five years to five to ten years,and fines from ₹10 lakh to ₹50 lakh.
On July 25,2026, MPs got the bill copy, showing the government's resolve against exam fraud. Modi also announced fast-track courts for NEET leak cases,saying student welfare is key. He promised swift,harsh punishment for those threatening students' futures.
The NEET paper leak scandal had political fallout,with Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigning on July 25. Pralhad Joshi took over as the new Education Minister on July 26,2026,as the government tries to rebuild trust in the exam system.
