Parliamentary panel summons Education Ministry, NTA, CBI officials over conduct of exams

A parliamentary panel has summoned officials of the Union Ministry of Education, National Testing Agency (NTA) and CBI to appear before it on Friday, May 29, 2026, in connection with assurances regarding the conduct of exams by the examination body.

According to a notification issued by the Rajya Sabha Secretariat on May 27, the Government Assurances Committee will hear the views of Vineet Joshi, Secretary, Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education, as well as NTA Director General Abhishek Singh and CBI Director Praveen Sood.

The committee meeting is planned to be held on Friday, May 29, 2026 at 11:00.

The matter pertains to the assurance given in response to an unstarred question (USQ) dated November 27, 2024 in the Rajya Sabha regarding “Conduct of the Examination by NTA”, the statement said.

The Ministry of Education, in its written response to the question in November 2024, had stated that the contracts for conducting the examinations were awarded to the institutions “in accordance with the existing rules, orders and guidelines issued by the Government of India”, as reported by the NTA.

The Ministry also informed Parliament that complaints against vendors are handled in accordance with the terms and conditions set out in the work order or tender document, and that action is covered “from payment to deduction” if service deficiencies are detected.

In the NEET-UG 2024 paper leak case, the ministry had said that the CBI was conducting a “comprehensive investigation into the entire spectrum of alleged irregularities, including conspiracy, cheating, breach of trust, etc.” and as of November 22, 2024, he had filed five charges against 45 defendants.

NEET-UG for admission to medical courses was held on May 3 this year but was canceled by NTA on May 12 following allegations of paper leak. CBI is currently investigating this matter and retesting is scheduled for June 21.

According to the notification, the committee will also hear the views of Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare Punya Salila Srivastava, National Medical Commission (NMC) chairman Abhijat Chandrakant Sheth and CBI Director on the assurance given in response to Rajya Sabha USQ’s reply dated July 29, 2025 regarding “Medical College Scam”.

On the “Medical College Scam”, the Ministry of Health had filed a written reply in the Rajya Sabha in July 2025, stating that the CBI had lodged an FIR in New Delhi under the provisions of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita and the Prevention of Corruption Act in connection with the alleged irregularities related to fake faculty, fake examinations and fake patient records.

The ministry had said that the matter was being investigated by the CBI.