Palak Khullar
India’s premier exam body, the National Testing Agency (NTA), is facing its largest security breakdown in history. The agency controls the future of millions of youth through massive national entrance tests. However, a sudden series of question paper leaks and computer network crashes has completely broken public confidence in the system.
The most severe crisis happened during the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET-UG) for medical seats. The initial test took place on May 3 for 2.28 million students, but the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) stepped in after finding that the paper was sold early on the Telegram app. This forced the government to cancel that test. Now the official NEET re-exam is fixed for June 21, 2026. To ensure safety, the NTA is giving fifteen extra minutes to candidates and will release fresh admit cards on June 14.
The trouble does not stop there. On May 30, the Common University Entrance Test (CUET-UG) suffered a major computer server failure managed by TCS iON. This technical glitch left thousands of candidates stranded, forcing the NTA to organise a re-test on June 6 and 7.
To fix this nationwide mess, a special panel called the Dr. K. Radhakrishnan Committee has suggested over 101 rules to stop cheating. However, a new Right to Information (RTI) report revealed that the NTA has not even started tracking how many of these rules are fully working. The NTA must apply these safety laws immediately, for millions of Indian families these exams are the only way to a bright future. |
