SFI CEC Demands Judicial Probe into NEET Paper Leak, Scrapping of NTA and Rollback of "One Nation, One Exam" Policy

The Central Executive Committee of the Students' Federation of India (SFI) strongly condemns the repeated incompetence and mismanagement of the National Testing Agency (NTA) in conducting major entrance examinations such as NEET and NET. SFI demands that the Union Government immediately constitute an impartial judicial committee to investigate the repeated paper leaks, security breaches, and corruption that are jeopardising the future of millions of students across the country.

The cancellation of the NEET examination conducted on May 3, following allegations of a paper leak, has once again exposed the complete failure of the NTA. More than 22 lakh students, after months and years of preparation, are now being forced to reappear for the examination due to the agency's negligence and incompetence. Similar incidents were witnessed in 2024, when the NET examination for PhD aspirants was cancelled shortly after being conducted. In both cases, students were subjected to immense stress, uncertainty, and financial burden, while no accountability, apology, or compensation was provided by the NTA or the Union Government.

SFI has consistently opposed the Modi Government's "One Nation, One Examination" policy and the centralisation of entrance examinations. This unscientific and anti-student model has deepened socio-economic inequalities and strengthened the exploitative coaching industry. Students from poor, rural, state board, vernacular-language, tribal, and marginalised backgrounds are being systematically excluded from medical and higher education opportunities, while private coaching centres and commercial educational institutions continue to profit. SFI further opposes any move to shift NEET from a paper-based examination to a Computer-Based Test (CBT) mode. Such a decision would disproportionately disadvantage students from economically weaker and marginalised backgrounds who lack access to adequate digital infrastructure and technological resources, while also increasing the financial burden on families. Instead of centralised examinations controlled by the NTA, universities and institutions must regain the autonomy to conduct their own entrance examinations in accordance with regional and institutional requirements, languages, and student convenience. The outsourcing of examination management by the NTA has also led to serious irregularities, untrained personnel, and increased corruption in the examination process.

SFI demands:

• Constitution of a Supreme Court-monitored judicial committee to investigate repeated paper leaks and examination irregularities
• Immediate scrapping of the NTA
• Rollback of the "One Nation, One Examination" policy and decentralisation of entrance examinations and restoration of autonomy to state universities, central universities, and institutions to conduct their own entrance examinations
• No implementation of CBT mode for NEET
• Resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and concerned officials

SFI CEC stands in solidarity with students, parents, and the wider academic community across the country. Nationwide protests against the commercialisation and centralisation of education will continue until justice is delivered and equal, accessible education is ensured for all.

Released by
Adarsh M. Saji (President, SFI)
Srijan Bhattacharyya (General Secretary, SFI)