The cancellation of NEET 2026 following allegations of a paper leak has triggered outrage and deep introspection across India. The scandal is a grim reflection of the moral and institutional decline within the country’s education system

Professor Jayant Vishnu Narlikar, one of our most distinguished and decorated scientists, wrote an article on “Declining Work Standards” around fifteen years ago. I find it extremely relevant in comprehending the national anguish and shame being expressed following the cancellation of the NEET examination in May 2026. The learned professor wrote: “Further, our examination system has become so corrupt that we have come to accept malpractices as routine. With copying condoned even at the highest level, the examinations conducted by boards, colleges and universities are losing their credibility as a means of assessing the candidate’s performance. No government, state or central, has either the will or courage to restore a sense of discipline in the system. Because of this, many specialised institutions have introduced their own entrance tests.”

The National Testing Agency (NTA), created in November 2017, is one of several such bodies established during the last two to three decades. There have been serious issues of paper leakage earlier as well, including NEET-UG 2024, UGC-NET 2024, and JEE-Main 2021. The 2024 paper leak was investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which enjoys nationwide credibility. Parents and the public remain unaware of what happened to the guilty and how many of them received exemplary punishment. The CBI is conducting the same exercise again for the 2026 paper leak. Media reports indicate that it has successfully unearthed the conspiracy, and that criminality will eventually be established.

Mention is being made of professors who acted as paper-setters. It must serve as an eye-opener to every teacher and academic, from schools to higher education institutions. Sadly, the entire scenario reaffirms the fact that “professions suffer credibility erosion only because of their own professionals”.........

© The Pioneer