NEET-UG 2026 Retest: Supreme Court Rejects Plea for Computer-Based Examination, Citing NTA's Challenges

The Supreme Court has refused to entertain a plea seeking to conduct the upcoming NEET-UG 2026 re-examination in computer-based test (CBT) mode. The court observed that the National Testing Agency (NTA) is already dealing with multiple challenges following the cancellation of the original examination and should not face additional complications at this stage.

The decision comes as lakhs of medical aspirants prepare for the NEET-UG retest scheduled for June 21.

Why Was the Plea Filed?

The petition was filed by Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MP Sudhakar Singh and several others. The petitioners requested the court to direct the NTA to hold the re-examination through a computer-based format instead of the traditional pen-and-paper system.

According to the petitioners, a digital examination could help improve transparency and reduce the chances of irregularities.

However, during the hearing, the petitioners informed the court that they were only pressing for the demand related to the examination mode and not pursuing any other requests mentioned in the plea.

Supreme Court's Response

A bench comprising Justices B.R. Gavai Narasimha and Aravind Kumar was not convinced by the argument.

The judges noted that the NTA is already under considerable pressure after the cancellation of the original examination and the arrangements required for the upcoming retest.

The bench remarked that introducing a completely different examination format at this stage would create further difficulties.

The court also pointed out that similar pleas had been rejected in the past and indicated that there was no reason to take a different view now.

Court Highlights Challenges Before NTA

During the hearing, the petitioners' lawyer argued that since the examination is being conducted again, it should be shifted to CBT mode.

In response, the court stated that the NTA is currently focused on ensuring that the re-examination is conducted smoothly and fairly.

The judges observed that the agency is already facing significant challenges due to the recent controversy surrounding the examination and that changing the format could complicate preparations further.

Background: Why Was NEET-UG 2026 Cancelled?

The controversy began after allegations of a question paper leak surfaced following the NEET-UG examination conducted on May 3.

As concerns grew over the integrity of the examination process, the National Testing Agency decided to cancel the test on May 12.

The decision affected thousands of students who had appeared for the exam and were awaiting their results.

CBI Investigation Underway

The matter is currently being investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Investigators are examining allegations related to the paper leak and other possible irregularities that may have compromised the fairness of the examination.

The findings of the investigation are expected to play a crucial role in determining accountability and preventing similar incidents in future national-level entrance examinations.

NEET-UG Retest Scheduled for June 21

With the original examination cancelled, the NTA has announced that a fresh NEET-UG examination will be held on June 21.

The re-exam will continue to be conducted in the traditional pen-and-paper format, as used in previous years.

Students across the country are now preparing for the second attempt while awaiting further updates regarding examination arrangements and security measures.
Next Hearing in July

Although the court declined to grant immediate relief, it has listed the matter for further hearing on July 27.

For now, the Supreme Court's stance makes it clear that the June 21 retest will proceed as planned, without any shift to a computer-based examination system.
As medical aspirants focus on their preparations, the larger debate over examination reforms and security measures is likely to continue in the coming months.