The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the Centre to inform it about the steps taken to implement the recommendations of the Radhakrishnan Committee and the Nandan Nilekani-led task force, observing that reforms in the National Testing Agency (NTA) need to be institutionalised.
A bench of Justices PS Narasimha and Alok Aradhe said the NTA must be equipped with adequate infrastructure, manpower and technological capabilities to conduct entrance examinations smoothly and securely.
The seven-member Radhakrishnan Committee was constituted by the Ministry of Education following the NEET-UG paper leak allegations to recommend reforms in the examination process, strengthen data security protocols and review the structure and functioning of the NTA.
The government had also constituted a high-powered task force headed by Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani to recommend structural reforms in competitive examinations.
"The Radhakrishnan Committee has correctly said it is a systemic problem which needs institutionalisation, which is the most important part of it," the bench observed.
The court noted that while processes may appear robust on paper, their effectiveness can change from one examination to another without proper institutionalisation.
The bench was informed that the committee constituted for reforms had considered various recommendations, including the use of advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence and blockchain to strengthen the security and integrity of examinations.
The court directed the Secretary concerned to file an affidavit detailing the steps taken to implement the recommendations of the Radhakrishnan Committee, as further refined by the Nandan Nilekani committee. The affidavit, along with indicative timelines, has to be filed within three weeks.
At the outset, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta outlined the safeguards followed from the printing of NEET question papers until they reach students, asserting that the system was foolproof and difficult to breach.
Mehta said several moderators prepare a question bank, ensuring that no single person decides which questions ultimately appear in the examination paper.
"Several moderators are asked to prepare a question bank of, say, 500 questions for a subject so that one person is not deciding which 100 questions come in the question paper," he said.
He said question papers were sent to designated printers under CCTV surveillance and the watch of the Central Industrial Security Force. They were then transported under police escort with GPS tracking and stored in separate bank strong rooms.
On the day of the examination, one set of question papers is selected and transported to examination centres under security. The papers are opened in the presence of officials and students, with the process being videographed, Mehta said.
The Supreme Court, however, pointed out that these safeguards had already been considered by the Radhakrishnan Committee.
The bench stressed the need for the NTA to develop into a "vibrant institution" with institutional expertise and the ability to adapt to technological changes.
"Our duty is to ensure that there is a vibrant institution that the country can be proud of. If you don't institutionalise, experienced people get transferred and the entire experience is lost. There are a lot of technological changes that have to be brought about," the bench said.
The court cited the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) as an example of an examination-conducting body that has developed institutional memory and expertise through years of conducting examinations.
The bench said the body responsible for conducting examinations must continuously upgrade itself and evolve into a robust institution.
The court was hearing a batch of petitions, including one filed by advocate Tanvi Dubey on behalf of the Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA).
One of the petitions sought directions to replace or restructure the NTA, which conducts the NEET-UG examination, with a robust and autonomous body responsible for conducting the medical entrance test.
The allegations of a NEET-UG paper leak are being investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Following allegations that the NEET-UG question paper was leaked in 2024, the Supreme Court had declined to cancel the examination but issued several directions aimed at preventing paper leaks and laid down criteria for cancelling public examinations.
