NEET-UG 2024 under scrutiny: Supreme Court to hear multiple petitions on alleged irregularities

The Supreme Court of India is scheduled to hear multiple petitions related to the NEET-UG 2024 controversy on Monday. The hearing, involving 38 petitions, seeks directives for conducting the exam afresh due to alleged malpractices and irregularities.

Central Government's Stand
The central government and the National Testing Agency (NTA), responsible for conducting NEET-UG, oppose the petitions. They argue that scrapping the exam would "seriously jeopardise" the futures of numerous honest candidates. According to the ministry, "In the absence of any proof of large-scale breach of confidentiality in a pan-India examination…scrapping the exam in entirety would seriously jeopardise the lakhs of honest candidates who attempted the question paper in 2024."


NTA's Position
Echoing the government's view, the NTA stated that canceling the exam would be "hugely counterproductive" and harmful to the public interest. The NTA emphasized, "The cancellation of the entire examination on the basis of the aforesaid factor would be hugely counterproductive and significantly harmful to the larger public interest, especially to the career prospects of the qualified candidates."

Controversy and Response
The controversy surrounding NEET-UG 2024 intensified after allegations of widespread malpractices, including question paper leaks and impersonation, during the May 5 test. These claims have led to protests and heated debates in the media. Despite these allegations, the NTA and the Union Education Ministry have maintained that there is no substantial evidence of significant breaches in the exam process.

High-Level Committee Formation
In response to the controversy, the government has established a high-level committee of experts to recommend measures for conducting transparent and fair examinations by the NTA. This committee aims to improve data security protocols and enhance the overall structure and functioning of the National Testing Agency.

Perfect Scores Under Scrutiny
The issue gained further attention when 67 students scored a perfect 720, an unprecedented event, including six from a Haryana center. Allegations suggested that grace marks contributed to these perfect scores. On July 1, the NTA revised the NEET-UG results, reducing the number of top rankers from 67 to 61.

Ongoing Legal Battle
The Supreme Court will address these issues on July 8, with petitions seeking the exam's cancellation, a re-test, and a court-monitored investigation. The central government and the NTA have reiterated their stance against scrapping the exam without concrete evidence of malpractice.

Affidavits Filed
Both the Union Education Ministry and the NTA have filed affidavits in the Supreme Court, opposing the petitions for a re-test and a court-monitored probe. The ministry's affidavit, filed by a director in the ministry of education, stated, "It would not be rational to scrap the entire examination and the results already declared."

The NEET-UG is a critical entrance exam conducted by the NTA for admissions to MBBS, BDS, AYUSH, and other related courses in government and private institutions across India. The exam, held on May 5, 2024, was taken by more than 2.3 million candidates across 4,750 centers in 571 cities. Allegations of irregularities, including question paper leaks, have led to widespread protests and political debates. The NTA announced the revised rank list on July 1 after issuing the results of a re-test held on June 23.

(With inputs from PTI)