THE DELHI HIGH COURT has directed the National Testing Agency (NTA) to declare within 24 hours the NEET-UG 2026 re-examination results of two candidates whose results were withheld over allegations linked to the question paper leak, observing that they had not been named as accused in the CBI chargesheet.

A single-judge Bench of Justice Jasmeet Singh said that the candidates could not be treated as persons against whom criminal culpability had been established, as the chargesheet filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) was yet to be tested in accordance with law. "At this stage, therefore, the petitioners cannot be treated as persons against whom criminal culpability has been established or as having been found guilty of any illegality," the High Court said.

Justice Singh was hearing a petition filed by Aditya Vinod Swami and another seeking release of their NEET-UG 2026 (Re-NEET) results and permission to participate in the ongoing counselling process.

The petitioners had initially appeared for NEET-UG 2026, conducted on May 3, but the examination was subsequently cancelled following allegations of a question paper leak. They thereafter appeared in the Re-NEET examination.

The CBI investigated the alleged leakage and, after completing its probe, filed a chargesheet in which the two petitioners were named as witnesses and not accused.

The NTA subsequently issued show-cause notices to the petitioners on July 5 and withheld their Re-NEET results.

During the hearing, counsel appearing for the NTA submitted that the examination agency had withheld the results after the CBI informed it that several candidates had allegedly received or shared the question paper of the May 3 examination. However, the CBI submitted that the petitioners had received the question paper and had the "mens rea" to commit the alleged illegality.

It was also submitted that money had been paid by them for obtaining the question paper. The CBI further stated that it had taken a liberal view by not arraying the students concerned as accused and had instead cited them as witnesses in the chargesheet.

However, the Delhi High Court said that the allegations in the chargesheet were yet to be established through evidence. "The charge-sheet filed by the CBI is yet to be tested in accordance with law, and the allegations contained therein would necessarily have to be established by leading appropriate evidence," the order said.

The Delhi High Court observed that the petitioners were at a "nascent stage of their academic careers" and held that withholding their results merely on the basis of allegations yet to be tested would cause serious prejudice to them.

"The petitioners ought to be permitted to know their results and, subject to the outcome of the proceedings, participate in the further rounds of counselling conducted by the NTA," it said.

The order also recorded that denying them an opportunity to participate in counselling at this stage could result in consequences that may not subsequently be adequately remedied.

Accordingly, the Delhi High Court directed the NTA to declare the petitioners' results within 24 hours of uploading of the order and permit them to participate in further rounds of counselling, subject to their otherwise fulfilling the applicable eligibility criteria.

It also permitted the petitioners whose counselling results had not yet been declared to apply offline.

The Delhi High Court clarified that its order would not prevent the authorities from proceeding against the petitioners in accordance with law, if warranted. After disposing of the interlocutory application, Justice Singh directed that the main petition be listed for January 8, 2027.

[VP]