The Supreme Court on June 17, 2026, deferred to July the hearing of a plea challenging the National Testing Agency's decision to re-conduct NEET-UG 2026 for nearly 22 lakh candidates.
The NEET-UG 2026 examination, originally held on May 3, was cancelled nationwide on May 12 after allegations of a paper leak. A Central Bureau of Investigation probe followed, and a fresh examination was scheduled for June 21.
A Bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice V. Mohana directed the matter to a Bench led by Justice P.S. Narasimha. That Bench is scheduled to sit only after the Supreme Court resumes regular sittings on July 13, which would render the plea infructuous.
The plea, filed by former Assistant Director General of Health Services Dr. Mangala Kohli, seeks to quash the re-test decision. It argues that the blanket cancellation unfairly penalises bona fide candidates and calls for secure technology-driven systems, an independent expert committee, and a stay on the re-test as interim relief.
