IMA Demands Transfer Of NEET Exam Control To States Following Paper Leak
The Indian Medical Association also urges adopting online mode to prevent paper leaks and exam irregularities, reports Gautam Debroy
Published : May 15, 2026 at 1:15 PM IST
New Delhi: The Indian Medical Association (IMA) on Friday urged the Ministry of Education to decentralise the NEET-UG examination by giving states and union territories greater responsibility within a transparent and accountable framework. This demand follows Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay’s recent appeal to the central government to abolish the pre-medical exam and allow states to fill medical seats independently.
The IMA also demanded immediate action against the National Testing Agency (NTA) and the culprits involved in the paper leak incident. It has also asked the Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan to conduct the NEET-UG examination in an online mode across all states and union territories to minimise the possibility of question paper leaks and other examination malpractices. Pradhan has already announced on Friday morning that the NEET examination will be conducted in computer-based test (CBT) mode instead of the current OMR format.
The IMA, in a letter sent to Pradhan, a copy of which is in the possession of ETV Bharat, also demanded a credible and time-bound probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI); arrest all culprits involved in the paper leak incident; establish special fast-track courts for daily hearings; and ensure strict punishment under the relevant laws relating to examination irregularities.
“During the past four years, the NEET-UG examination conducted by NTA has faced repeated controversies, including cancellation on two occasions due to incidents of paper leaks and examination irregularities,” the IMA said. “Such incidents have caused immense mental trauma, stress, hardship, and uncertainty for more than 22.5 lakh students and their families, who dedicate years of sincere preparation for this highly competitive examination,” it added.
In NEET-UG 2026, more than 22.5 lakh students appeared for the examination, which was conducted across more than 551 cities and over 5,500 centres throughout India.
“Considering the continuously increasing number of candidates every year, conducting such a massive examination in a single phase and on a single day using physical question papers across the country has become an extremely challenging task. Therefore, there is a serious apprehension that similar incidents may recur in the future unless substantial reforms are introduced in the examination system,” the Association’s National President Anilkumar J. Nayak said.
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