NEET 2024: Paper leaks, arrests, online exam, student protests, Parliament debate; the story so far

NEW DELHI: From student protests and court cases to cancellation of results and re-exam, this year’s NEET exam has been marred by controversies. In the latest development, the union government is considering holding NEET in online mode from the next academic year, as per an Indian Express report. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court will hear the petitions over NEET paper leak and irregularities on July 8.

The National Eligibility Entrance Test - Undergraduate (NEET UG) 2024 was conducted on May 5 from 2 pm to 5:20 pm in pen and paper mode for over 24 lakh students this year.

What is the NEET controversy?

Soon after the NEET UG 2024 was conducted, paper leak posts started trending on social media citing the wrong question paper incident at a Rajasthan centre, however, NTA rubbished the claims. On the other hand, several people got arrested in Gujarat and Bihar in connection with the NEET paper leak prompting investigation and chorus for a re-exam.

The NEET UG 2024 result which was scheduled to be announced on June 14, was published 10 days earlier, on June 4, the same day Lok Sabha election results were announced. 67 candidates were declared NEET toppers as they grabbed the All India Rank (AIR) 1.

The demands for exam cancellation took speed when NTA announced that some candidates were given ‘grace marks’ for loss of time. As students, opposition, and public in general asked for ‘answers’ on early result declaration, awarding of grace marks, clustering of toppers (from same centre), the exam agency responded that 1,563 candidates were compensated with extra marks for the loss of time and 44 among the toppers got AIR 1 due to a physics question with two correct answers. The NTA clarification in turn became a huge controversy and the fire has not been doused yet.

The Supreme Court on June 13 cancelled the NEET results 2024 of 1,563 candidates who were awarded grace marks and asked the NTA to withdraw results. The testing agency informed the court about a re-exam on June 23 based on the recommendations of a high-powered committee.

Opposition vs Centre

DMK was the first party to raise a voice against the national-level exam demanding its complete abolition following the reports of paper leak and cheating. Soon, the opposition parties weighed in on the alleged controversy and started raising their eyebrows on this year’s NEET UG results alleging error and rigging. Opposition leaders such as Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, MK Stalin, Ashok Gehlot, Shashi Tharoor voiced students’ concerns and demanded a probe monitored by the Supreme Court.

The opposition hit out at the BJP-led government, questioning prime minister Narendra Modi’s silence over the matter and calling it a paper leak government.

Dharmendra Pradhan’s oath taking day turned into a questionnaire day as he faced several questions on incidents of paper leak. The minister refuted any such claims and ensured ‘justice’ for all aspirants. Amidst demands of his sacking, the education minister said that the NEET counselling process will commence in due course.

Also read NEET was far from fair even before this year's grace marks, paper-leak controversies

The opposition has dragged the ruling government into the Parliament with Rahul Gandhi demanding a debate on NEET controversy.

Court cases

The first petition filed in the Supreme Court sought re NEET but the top court refused to grant a stay on NEET results. Meanwhile, another PIL was filed in the Patna High Court seeking a CBI probe into the irregularities in NEET (which ultimately happened). Post this, several court cases followed which eventually demanded a re-exam and investigation citing different incidents of malpractices in exam and ‘rigging’ in NEET 2024 result.

In June, the apex court refused to put a stay on NEET UG counselling 2024 and asked NTA for a response on paper leaks and grace marks while observing that 'sanctity of exam has been affected'. While fresh petitions were filed in the top court, NTA decided to move the court for transfer of all petitions regarding the exam.

Student protests

Students’ Federation of India (SFI), Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union (JNUSU), All-India Students’ Association (AISA), and other student outfits took it to roads to protest the alleged exam irregularities and demanded scrapping of NTA along with the resignation of union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

NTA’s stand

For the first time, NTA addressed the public on NEET concerns and informed that an expert committee has been formed to look into the grievances of students. Denying a compromise in the integrity of the exam, it said that NEET results will be revised if required.

The exam agency has been individually addressing students’ queries and allegations of malpractices in the exam on social media such as viral videos of torn OMR sheet. NTA stood firm on its stand that there were cases of unfair means but the exam sanctity was not compromised.

In a major development, Pradeep Singh Kharol was recently given the additional charge of the director general of NTA and previous chief Subodh Kumar Singh was placed on ‘compulsory wait’ in another department.

Also read Telegram link to NEET, UGC NET paper leaks unsurprising: Experts

The testing agency recently handed over the NEET issue to CBI for an investigation into the alleged paper leak and irregularities. The probing agency has made a few arrests in Gujarat and Bihar so far.

Re NEET

The expert committee on NEET UG 2024 came up with options of re-exam or non-normalised marks for the candidates who got grace marks in the exam, as per an Indian Express report.

813 candidates out of 1,563 appeared for the retest held on June 23 in seven examination cities. 750 students skipped the exam.

NTA has announced NEET re-exam results 2024 wherein the number of toppers has dropped to 61. None of the 813 candidates who appeared for the re-exam scored a perfect 720, as per a Times of India report.