The Supreme Court on June 17, 2026 declined to grant urgent hearing to a writ petition challenging the National Testing Agency’s decision to cancel and re-conduct NEET-UG 2026 for nearly 22 lakh candidates, allowing the retest to proceed as scheduled.
A bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice V Mohana did not examine the petition on merits, instead directing it to be listed before the bench of Justice PS Narasimha — which will only sit after the Supreme Court’s summer recess ends on July 13, 2026, according to LiveLaw.
Background: How We Got Here
The original NEET-UG 2026 examination was conducted on May 3, 2026. Within nine days, on May 12, the Centre and NTA cancelled it entirely following widespread allegations of paper leaks and examination malpractice.
The cancellation affected nearly 22 lakh registered candidates. The CBI took over the investigation and arrested 13 accused from multiple cities including Delhi, Gurugram, Jaipur, Nasik, and Pune, as reported by Tribune India.
- The writ petition before the Court — Mangala Kohli v. Union of India, W.P.(C) No. 753/2026, Diary No. 33347/2026 — was filed by Dr. Mangala Kohli, a former Assistant Director General of Health Services.
- The petition sought an interim stay on the re-examination and invoked Articles 14, 19(1)(g), and 21 of the Constitution, arguing that a blanket cancellation unfairly penalised bona fide candidates, per India Legal.
- Earlier in June, a bench of Justice PS Narasimha and Justice Aravind Kumar had separately declined to direct NTA to shift the retest to computer-based test (CBT) mode, also posting that matter to July, according to Telangana Today.
The Ruling — Key Findings
CJI Surya Kant refused the prayer for urgent hearing, observing that petitions relating to NEET-UG 2026 were already being monitored by the bench of Justice PS Narasimha, according to Telangana Today.
The bench issued no interim stay on the re-examination. With no judicial intervention, the NEET-UG 2026 retest proceeded on June 21, 2026 in the existing pen-and-paper format, with admit cards already issued to candidates.
The petition will now be heard only after July 13, 2026, the date on which Justice Narasimha’s bench resumes regular sittings after the summer recess, as confirmed by LiveLaw.
On the question of accountability, the Justice Narasimha bench had earlier observed at a May 29 hearing: “The real problem won’t stop till actual accountability arises.”
Reactions & What’s Next
In her petition, Dr. Mangala Kohli argued that CBI findings pointed to a “localised operational compromise” rather than a nationwide contamination, making a full cancellation disproportionate.
Her plea stated: “The constitutional rights and legitimate interests of lakhs of bona fide candidates cannot be sacrificed owing to institutional and administrative failures attributable to the examination conducting authority itself.”
The petition also sought structural reforms for national-level competitive examinations, including independent oversight and AI-assisted monitoring, per IBTimes India.
On the ground, the government moved to secure the retest through multiple channels. The Indian Air Force assisted with logistics for secure transportation of question papers, according to India Legal.
The government also temporarily restricted access to Telegram until June 22 to counter paper-leak misinformation, as reported by India Legal.
NTA Director General Abhishek Singh publicly stated: “There is no leaked paper for the re-exam,” and warned candidates against fraudsters operating on Telegram, according to IBTimes India.
All related petitions — including challenges to NTA’s institutional framework and the mode of examination — remain pending before Justice Narasimha’s bench and are scheduled to be heard after July 13, 2026, per LiveLaw.
Full coverage: LiveLaw. More legal news at The Courtroom.
Why did the Supreme Court refuse to stay the NEET-UG 2026 retest?
The bench of CJI Surya Kant and Justice V Mohana declined urgent hearing because petitions related to NEET-UG 2026 were already being heard by the bench of Justice PS Narasimha. No interim stay was granted, and the retest proceeded on June 21, 2026 as scheduled.
When will the Supreme Court next hear the challenge to the NEET-UG 2026 retest?
The petition has been directed to be listed before Justice PS Narasimha’s bench, which resumes regular sittings on July 13, 2026 after the Supreme Court’s summer recess, according to LiveLaw.
Why was the original NEET-UG 2026 examination cancelled?
The original examination, held on May 3, 2026, was cancelled by the Centre and NTA on May 12, 2026 following allegations of paper leaks and examination malpractice. The CBI took over the investigation and arrested 13 accused from cities including Delhi, Gurugram, Jaipur, Nasik, and Pune.
What is the case name and number for the petition challenging the NEET-UG 2026 retest?
The petition is Mangala Kohli v. Union of India, W.P.(C) No. 753/2026, Diary No. 33347/2026, filed by Dr. Mangala Kohli, a former Assistant Director General of Health Services.
Disclaimer
Disclaimer: This article is for general information only and does not constitute legal advice. Laws may change or vary by case — consult a qualified lawyer before acting. The Courtroom is not liable for any reliance on this content.
