CBI, NTA Face Tough Questions, Assure Parliamentary Panel 'Corrective Steps Are Being Taken'
CBI, NTA Face Tough Questions, Assure Parliamentary Panel 'Corrective Steps Are Being Taken' Reported By, Last Updated: May 29, 2026, 19:38 IST During the meeting
CBI, NTA Face Tough Questions, Assure Parliamentary Panel 'Corrective Steps Are Being Taken' Reported By, Last Updated: May 29, 2026, 19:38 IST During the meeting, members of the panel questioned both the NTA and the CBI on the lack of coordination between the agencies Rapid Read The NTA Director assured the committee that comprehensive safeguards and foolproof arrangements are now being implemented. Senior officials of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Testing Agency (NTA) appeared before Parliament’s Committee on Government Assurances on Thursday amid continuing concerns over irregularities in the NEET examination process. Sources said the CBI Director, Special Director and Joint Director attended the meeting, while the Director General of the NTA was also summoned before the panel. The meeting, chaired by senior parliamentarian N.
Thambidurai, lasted for nearly one-and-a-half hours. Only a handful of members were present during the meeting despite the committee comprising 11 members. Among those who attended were Lahar Singh Siroya, Neeraj Dangi and Virendra Kumar Vaishya. During the meeting, members of the panel questioned both the NTA and the CBI on the lack of coordination between the agencies and asked why stronger collaborative mechanisms had not been put in place to ensure transparent and unblemished examinations. The NTA Director assured the committee that comprehensive safeguards and foolproof arrangements are now being implemented to prevent any recurrence of examination-related irregularities in the future. The CBI, meanwhile, informed the panel that 13 people have so far been arrested in connection with the 2026 NEET paper leak case. Sources said the agency assured the committee that investigators were close to identifying and reaching the main accused in the case, while further interrogation and investigation are continuing.
Officials also gave a detailed presentation on the 2024 NEET paper leak case. The CBI informed the committee that a chargesheet has already been filed and charges have been framed against the accused persons linked to the case. According to sources, the agency told the panel that several kinds of discrepancies had surfaced during the investigation into the 2024 case. These included allegations of question paper leaks, organised cheating rackets in which touts allegedly collected money from candidates, and manipulation of answer sheets. The CBI further informed the committee that in certain instances answer sheets were allegedly not submitted in their original form and were later altered with institutional support to secure higher marks for candidates. Sources said the agency told the panel that concrete action is being planned to address these irregularities and strengthen systems to ensure that such incidents do not recur in the future.
News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: May 29, 2026, 19:17 IST News india CBI, NTA Face Tough Questions, Assure Parliamentary Panel 'Corrective Steps Are Being Taken' Disclaimer: Comments reflect users’ views, not News18’s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments...
The BriefWire