NEET paper leak row: SC vacation bench to hear pleas seeking probe, cancellation and retest

A vacation bench of the Supreme Court is set to hear pleas seeking a probe, cancellation and retest of NEET-UG, 2024 exam on grounds of question paper leak and other malpractices, on Friday.

On Thursday, the Supreme Court issued a notice regarding a plea by the National Testing Agency (NTA) seeking to transfer all petitions related to the NEET-UG 2024 examination from various High Courts to the apex court. The bench, led by Justice Vikram Nath, also stayed proceedings before different High Courts but emphasized that it would not halt the ongoing counseling process.

Additionally, the SC issued a notice to the Centre and the NTA in response to a petition filed by students who appeared for the NEET-UG exam at the Meghalaya center. These students claimed they lost 45 minutes during the exam and requested to be included among the 1,563 students who were granted grace marks and offered a re-exam on June 23. The Court has scheduled the hearing for these pleas on July 8.

NEET Paper Leak Case

The NEET-UG 2024 exam, conducted on May 5, had its results announced on June 4, ten days ahead of the initially scheduled date. This early release led to protests over alleged irregularities and paper leaks, as the results indicated that 67 students achieved a perfect score of 720. Consequently, petitions seeking a re-test were filed in courts.

The Supreme Court has approved a re-test for over 1,500 students who received "grace marks." On June 13, the NTA informed the Supreme Court that the scorecards of these 1,563 candidates would be canceled, offering them an option to retake the exam on June 23 or forgo the compensatory marks awarded for lost time. The results of the re-exam are expected before June 30.

The NEET-UG examination, organized by the NTA, is a crucial gateway for admissions to MBBS, BDS, AYUSH, and other related courses in both government and private institutions nationwide.

On Tuesday, the apex court reiterated its stance on the importance of meticulous conduct in the NEET-UG 2024 examination. A vacation bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath and SVN Bhatti emphasized to the advocates representing the Centre and the NTA that even minimal negligence in the exam process would be addressed thoroughly.

(With inputs from agencies)