Recent weeks have seen significant protests over question paper leaks in the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), India’s primary medical entrance examination. The unrest led to the resignation of education minister Dharmendra Pradhan, with protesters attributing multiple student suicides to the examination scandal. In response, Prime Minister Narendra Modi established a task force headed by Nandan Nilekali of Infosys to reform the National Testing Agency (NTA), which administers the exam, with a focus on transitioning to computer-based testing (CBT) for enhanced security.
The Supreme Court acknowledged the government’s reform efforts but cautioned that digitization alone would not eliminate the risk of paper leaks. The contrasting incidents of 2024 and 2026 illustrate the complexity of the challenge. The 2024 leak occurred after printing when sealed trunks were opened during transit to exam centers, involving approximately 40-50 people. In contrast, the 2026 leak allegedly originated from within the NTA before the paper entered the secure distribution chain, with teachers suspected of involvement. Prof V Kamakoti of IIT Madras, a task force member, emphasized that trust fundamentally depends on the integrity of question paper setters and exam invigilators. He argued that computer-based testing would significantly enhance security by eliminating the need to print, transport and store millions of physical papers. However, implementing CBT for NEET presents logistical challenges, as the examination currently accommodates 2.2 million test-takers in a single session, far exceeding India’s current capacity of approximately 300,000 candidates per computer-based session.
Other experts caution against viewing technology as a complete solution. Dr Debananda Misra of IIT Delhi’s School of Public Policy noted that while CBT can reduce paper-leak opportunities, it does not address underlying incentives driving malpractice. The acute scarcity of affordable government medical college seats relative to the number of qualified candidates creates powerful incentives for fraud. With more than half of nearly two million NEET candidates qualifying but fewer than 6 percent of qualified applicants able to access heavily subsidized government colleges, rejected students face private college fees ranging from tens to hundreds of thousands of rupees. Misra raised concerns that CBT may introduce new inequities, as success increasingly depends on digital familiarity and access to practice environments—advantages unevenly distributed across socioeconomic groups. He advocated for broader systemic reforms including stronger governance, regular audits, greater accountability and ultimately reducing dependence on single high-stakes entrance tests through diversified assessment approaches and expanded educational pathways.
Government officials propose extensive CCTV surveillance with centralized monitoring and artificial intelligence systems to flag suspicious behavior. The task force has limited time to implement major changes before the next entrance exam season, which begins in December. A high-level committee appointed following the 2024 leak produced over 100 recommendations, but only approximately 57 percent have been reportedly implemented. The success of upcoming reforms will ultimately be measured not by the number of exams moved online, but by whether students regain confidence in the examination system’s fairness.
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