Former DGHS Official Moves Supreme Court Against Nationwide NEET-UG 2026 Re-Examination

June 16, 2026 : New Delhi: Former Additional Director General of Health Services (DGHS), Dr. Mangala Kohli, has approached the Supreme Court challenging the National Testing Agency’s (NTA) decision to cancel and re-conduct NEET-UG 2026 across the country for nearly 22 lakh candidates. The Public Interest Litigation (PIL), filed under Article 32 of the Constitution through Advocate-on-Record Abhishek Chandra Mishra, seeks to quash the decision ordering a nationwide re-examination and raises concerns regarding fairness, proportionality, institutional accountability, and the fundamental rights of genuine candidates.

In her petition, Dr. Kohli stated that while allegations of question paper leaks and examination malpractice are serious and warrant strict action against those responsible, lakhs of honest candidates should not be forced to suffer because of administrative failures on the part of the examination-conducting authority. The plea highlights her long-standing involvement in public health, medical education, and efforts aimed at ensuring transparency and fairness in medical admissions, including the development of NEET as a unified national entrance examination.

According to the petition, investigations conducted by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) have uncovered organized networks involving intermediaries, coaching facilitators, and individuals allegedly connected to the confidential examination process. However, the material disclosed during the investigation reportedly points to localized breaches at specific centers and regions rather than contamination of the examination process across the entire country.

Despite the localized nature of the alleged malpractice, the NTA decided to cancel the examination and direct a fresh nationwide test. The petition argues that this decision has caused severe academic disruption, psychological stress, and financial hardship to lakhs of students who had no involvement in any wrongdoing. It further contends that the larger medical admissions process has also been adversely affected.

The plea asserts that constitutional principles of fairness and proportionality require authorities to identify tainted candidates, compromised centers, and individuals involved in malpractice rather than imposing collective consequences on the entire candidate population. A blanket cancellation and re-examination, it argues, unfairly penalizes meritorious students and fails the constitutional test of proportionality.

Apart from seeking the cancellation of the re-examination order, the PIL also calls for comprehensive reforms in the conduct of national-level competitive examinations. It seeks the implementation of secure technology-driven systems, including encrypted digital question paper delivery, biometric authentication, artificial intelligence-assisted monitoring, and secure computer-based examination infrastructure. The petitioner has further requested the constitution of an independent expert committee to examine structural and operational deficiencies within the NTA and recommend reforms to prevent similar controversies in the future.

As an interim measure, the petition seeks a stay on the nationwide re-conduct of NEET-UG 2026 and requests directions restraining authorities from proceeding with the proposed examination until the matter is decided. The plea maintains that while those responsible for compromising the integrity of the examination must be identified and prosecuted, a nationwide cancellation affecting all candidates cannot be justified when available evidence indicates only localized breaches.

The PIL has been filed amid ongoing judicial scrutiny of issues arising from the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak controversy. Recently, the Supreme Court declined to grant immediate relief in a separate petition seeking the conduct of NEET-UG 2026 through a Computer-Based Test (CBT) mode. The matter was posted for hearing in July. Earlier, the Court had also emphasized the need for structural reforms within the NTA, observing that recurring controversies surrounding national-level examinations continue to cause immense hardship to students and their families.