The Supreme Court declined to direct the National Testing Agency (NTA) to conduct the NEET-UG 2026 re-exam in computer-based mode.
The bench of Justice P.S. Narasimha and Justice Aravind Kumar ruled out any immediate change in the format and deferred the hearing to July.
The court heard a petition filed by RJD MP Sudhakar Singh, who sought directions to hold the re-test in CBT mode. His counsel clarified that they pressed only this request. Justice Narasimha noted that similar pleas had already been dismissed in earlier proceedings. “We will take it up after the vacation,” he said while adjourning the matter.
The petitioner argued that authorities continued preparations for the offline re-test. The bench highlighted logistical and administrative challenges, especially after the recent cancellation of the exam. Justice Narasimha remarked that granting such relief now was not feasible given the pressure on the NTA.
The re-test scheduled for June 21 will therefore proceed in the existing pen-and-paper format. The court will revisit the matter in July after the summer vacation.
Earlier, the Supreme Court criticised the NTA over the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak, urging it to learn from the UPSC’s integrity standards. “UPSC has never been in such a situation. You need to learn,” Justice Narasimha said, emphasising the need for stronger safeguards.
