NEET-UG 2026 Cancelled After Paper Leak; Radhakrishnan Committee 2-Stage Exam Proposal & 7.5% State Quota Debate

NEET-UG Reform: Two-Stage JEE Pattern Under Active Consideration, Govt Tells Supreme Court

The Centre informed the Supreme Court that it is actively considering shifting NEET-UG to a two-stage format on the JEE (Mains & Advanced) pattern. The final decision will await recommendations from the Nandan Nilekani-led High-Powered Task Force on exam reforms. This is crucial for medical aspirants as it could change the entire exam structure and enhance security against paper leaks.

SC Directs Centre on NTA Reform: Radhakrishnan & Nilekani Committee Recommendations

The Supreme Court has directed the Centre to file an affidavit on implementing recommendations of the K Radhakrishnan and Nandan Nilekani committees to reform the NTA, aiming to make it a vibrant, foolproof institution like the UPSC. The court stressed institutionalisation with proper infrastructure, manpower, and technology to prevent exam leaks and ensure integrity.

Paper Leak Crisis: NTA, NEET-2026 Reconduct, CBI Closure Reports, PEIF Framework

Despite the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, repeated paper leak crises in NEET and UGC-NET have led to cancellations, reconducts, and CBI closure reports with no prosecutable evidence of conventional leaks. The article calls for a shift from post-crisis response to institutional prevention, proposing a Public Examination Integrity Framework (PEIF) and a White Paper by the Nilekani committee.

NTA Gets CISF Security Cover After NEET Paper Leak; CBI Chargesheet Reveals Lapses

Following the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak that triggered nationwide protests and the resignation of the Union Education Minister, the NTA is shifting to a new office with CISF security cover. The CBI chargesheet highlights systemic lapses, including lack of frisking and CCTV monitoring, which allowed the leak. A high-powered task force under Nandan Nilekani has been set up to recommend exam reforms.

Births and Deaths (Amendment) Bill, 2026 Passed in Lok Sabha Without Debate; SC Issues Notice on Polygamy Ban

Lok Sabha passed the Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Bill, 2026 without debate amid opposition protests over police crackdown. Simultaneously, the Supreme Court issued notice on a plea to ban polygamy, sentenced Tahir Hussain to life imprisonment for murder of an IB officer, and stayed arrest of former TN minister Senthilbalaji. Multiple other judicial and state-level developments occurred.

SC Recognises Student Mental Health Under Article 21 in Sukdeb Saha (2025); NEET Paper Leak Tests Institutional Responsibility

The Supreme Court has expanded the right to life (Article 21) to include student mental health, holding institutions responsible for student suicides under Sukdeb Saha v. State of Andhra Pradesh (2025). The NEET paper leak of 2026 becomes the first major test of this new constitutional principle, forcing the state to move beyond individual controversies toward structural reform in examinations and recruitment.

SC on Article 17: Purification Ritual After Dalit Use Raises Untouchability Question

A purification ritual at Haldwani after Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's rally has reignited the legal debate on untouchability. The Supreme Court's 2024 ruling in Sukanya Shantha case links Article 17 to caste-based notions of 'purity and pollution', extending its reach beyond denial of entry to discriminatory acts based on touch or presence.

Govt to SC: Only Parliament Can Extend Creamy Layer to SC/ST; Cites Article 341, E V Chinnaiah Case

The government has told the Supreme Court that extending the creamy layer principle to SC/ST is a policy decision for Parliament alone. This reaffirms that reservation for SC/ST is based on historical social criteria, not just economic status, and the creamy layer concept currently applies only to OBCs.