Supreme Court Forms Panel to Probe NEET Protest Violence and Police Action

In a decisive move, the Supreme Court of India has established a five-member High-Powered Expert Committee (HPEC), led by former Justice R. Subhash Reddy, to thoroughly investigate the alleged police excesses and violence during nationwide protests against the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak. This urgent intervention aims to bring accountability to the clashes at protest sites like Jantar Mantar, where students faced accusations of disproportionate force. The protests erupted after the NEET-UG 2026 examination was cancelled in May due to widespread allegations of question paper leak and other irregularities, leading to a re-examination in June. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has already filed a chargesheet against 13 individuals, including National Testing Agency (NTA) subject experts, for their alleged involvement in the leak, highlighting systemic vulnerabilities. The Supreme Court has also been actively pushing the NTA for institutional reforms to prevent future incidents, stressing the need for permanent solutions over temporary fixes, referencing recommendations from expert panels like the Radhakrishnan and Nandan Nilekani committee. This new committee is tasked with examining serious allegations including the use of pellet guns, electric batons, lathi-charges, tear gas, and specific incidents of harassment against female protesters, while also considering violence against police personnel. The Supreme Court has mandated the preservation of critical evidence like CCTV footage and drone recordings and expects continuous, periodic findings from the HPEC. This ongoing judicial oversight signals a firm commitment to restoring faith in India's crucial examination system and ensuring the right to peaceful protest is protected.