SC to Hear Pleas on NEET-UG 2024 Irregularities on
The Supreme Court is set to hear a batch of pleas on July 8 alleging irregularities and a paper leak in the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test-Under Graduate (NEET-UG) 2024 examination held on May 5. The matter has been listed before a bench comprising Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, as per the cause list uploaded on the top court’s website.
Earlier, the apex court had sought a response from the National Testing Agency (NTA) on the pleas calling for a fresh NEET-UG 2024 examination amid the allegations. The court emphasized the need for answers from the testing agency, asserting that the “sanctity” of the exam had been compromised due to these allegations.
The Supreme Court had also remarked that any negligence in conducting the NEET-UG 2024 exam by the NTA should be thoroughly addressed. This came after a series of complaints were filed, pointing towards significant lapses and malpractices during the examination.
On June 13, the Centre and the NTA informed the Supreme Court that they had cancelled the grace marks initially awarded to 1,563 candidates. These candidates were given the choice to either retake the exam on June 23 or forgo the compensatory marks that were provided due to the loss of time during the original exam. Out of these, 813 students opted for the retest held across seven centers.
The petitions filed in the Supreme Court have raised several issues including the leakage of the question paper, the awarding of compensatory marks, and anomalies in the NEET-UG question paper. The aspirants have demanded a fresh examination, alleging that these irregularities have marred the fairness of the test.
Despite these allegations, the Supreme Court had previously refused to stay the counselling process for NEET-UG 2024. This decision has left many aspirants in a state of uncertainty regarding the final outcome of their future academic pursuits.
The NEET-UG examination, conducted by the NTA, is a crucial test for students seeking admissions into MBBS, BDS, AYUSH, and other related courses in both government and private institutions across India. This year, around 24 lakh candidates appeared for the exam, which was conducted across 4,750 centers on May 5.
The upcoming hearing on July 8 is expected to address the various grievances raised by the aspirants and provide clarity on the future course of action regarding the NEET-UG 2024 examination. The decision of the Supreme Court will be pivotal in determining the next steps for the affected candidates and the overall integrity of the examination process.
