Child rights body flays NTA for NEET mess

Chennai: Tamil Nadu Child Rights Watch (TNCRW) has condemned the paper leak and irregularities that led to the cancellation of NEET-UG 2026, stating that repeated failures in conducting the test has caused immense distress to several lakhs of students and families across the country.In a statement on Saturday, it said the cancellation of the examination has once again exposed the inability of the govt to ensure transparency, fairness and credibility in one of the country's most crucial entrance tests. It alleged that lakhs of students who spent years preparing for NEET were now facing uncertainty, psychological stress and financial burden due to administrative lapses beyond their control. "The recurrence of paper leaks, malpractice allegations and technical irregularities linked to NEET and other exams reflect a pattern of institutional failure and have severely eroded public trust in the testing agency," said A Devaneyan, co-convener of TNCRW.The organization further criticised the present NEET framework, arguing that it disproportionately favoured students with access to expensive private coaching institutions while disadvantaging rural students, govt school students, first-generation learners and economically weaker sections. Demanding accountability, TNCRW called for the resignation of senior officials responsible for the test and sought an independent judicial inquiry into the alleged paper leak and possible organised malpractice networks. The organization also urged authorities to introduce immediate corrective mechanisms to safeguard exam integrity and publicly disclose measures being taken to prevent future irregularities.