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In 2024, NTA and Govt. did not want to cancel NEET, cited student welfare in Supreme Court
In 2024, the Centre and NTA opposed cancelling NEET-UG in the Supreme Court, arguing that segregating tainted candidates would protect student welfare. In 2026, the NTA announced cancellation of NEET-UG 2026 after inputs and investigations, signaling a shift from earlier assurances.
Why It Matters
The timeline shows a tension between preserving exam integrity and protecting students' futures, with widespread implications for admissions, medical education, and marginalized groups.
Timeline
3 Events
NTA statement on NEET-UG 2026 cancellation
May 12, 2026
The NTA issued a statement on May 12, 2026 saying that inputs and investigative findings necessitate cancelling the NEET-UG 2026 exam, affecting the future of over 22 lakh students nationwide.
Supreme Court did not cancel NEET-UG 2024; July 2024 order lists consequences
July 2024
The Supreme Court did not cancel the NEET-UG 2024 exam. In a July 2024 order, it enumerated four hard-hitting consequences of cancellation: disruption of admission schedules, cascading effects on medical education, potential shortages of qualified medical professionals, and a grave disadvantage to marginalised communities with reserved seats. The Court stated that the decision should be guided by the test of segregating tainted students from those who are clean, and that action should be pursued against every student found involved at any stage. The Central Bureau of Investigation was noted as probing the 2024 paper leak.
Centre and NTA urged segregation, not cancellation, in 2024
2024
In 2024, the Centre and the NTA told the Supreme Court cancelling the NEET-UG exam would be a drastic and ill-advised move. They urged segregation of tainted candidates rather than cancellation, arguing that innocents should not pay a price for wrongdoing. The government also cited the enactment of the Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act 2024 as evidence of its seriousness about safeguarding exam integrity.