NEET results 2024 will be revised for 1,600 candidates if needed, committee set up: NTA chief

NEW DELHI: The National Testing Agency (NTA) director general, Subodh Kumar Singh, said an expert committee has been formed to look into the grace marks provided by the NTA in NEET results 2024. Speaking at a press conference held today to address the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test Undergraduate (NEET UG 2024) irregularities, the NTA chief informed that around 1,600 NEET aspirants were affected, however, the "integrity of the exam was not compromised".

“If needed, results will be revised for 1,600 candidates based on the committee's recommendations,” the NTA chief told the reporters. The NEET UG 2024 exam was held on May 5 for over 24 lakh candidates at 4,750 different centres located in 571 cities. DG NTA said out of the 24 lakh students, only 1,600 students were affected who appeared in 6 exam centres.

"Initially 17 students were in the topper. Because of Physics answer challenge, 44 candidates got marks from 715 to 720 and the number of toppers went to 61 (17+44)," "The issue is about 6 centers affecting about 1600 candidates because of wrong distribution of question paper and torn OMR sheet. They alleged that they got less time. So concerned candidates went to High Courts demanding retest or compensation for time . So, we informed the court about formation of committee. HC dismissed the petition. Our committee met and they found that time was lost and students should be compensated," DG NTA Subodh Kumar Singh told reporters.

The four-member committee, headed by the former chairperson of the UPSC, will revisit Haryana's Bahadurgarh center, one among the six centres affected, the NTA chief said. The officials reiterated that the compensatory marks provided for time loss is based on the Apex Court order dated 13.06.2018.

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NEET 2024 irregularities: Story so far

The claims on NEET UG paper leak started surfacing before the exam was conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA). However, the NTA rubbished the claims and conducted the medical entrance exam on the scheduled date on May 5. Notably, the NEET results 2024 were also declared 10 days before the scheduled result date.

Moreover, the NTA held NEET re-exam for 120 candidates who took the exam at Girls Higher Secondary Model School in Mantown, Sawai Madhopur, Rajasthan, as they received wrong question papers.

As per the NEET UG results 2024, an unprecedented 67 students scored a perfect 720/720 and 44 candidates got 715 to 720, the secretary said. “At a single examination center in Haryana, 8 students scored above 718 marks, with 6 achieving 720/720, indicating blatant manipulation of results,” the All India Students Union (AISU) said.

The Bihar police had arrested 13 people in connection with the paper leak. The Economic Offences Unit (EOU), which followed on the tip-off from sources on the BPSC TRE paper leak, identified Sanjiv Singh as the mastermind behind the leak. However, there is no official statement from NTA regarding this. On May 6, the NTA issued a statement and rubbished the paper leak allegations.

Also read ‘Cancel NEET 2024’: Students demand re-exam citing paper leak, unfair grace marks, irregularities

After posts demanding clarification on 718 and 719 score started to flood on social media, the NTA said that the grace marks were awarded to students due to the time loss. Moreover, nearly 11 NEET aspirants have tragically died by suicide this year so far.

Recently, the All Indian Students Union (AISU) has filed a complaint with the Lokpal of India against the ‘rampant corruption, malpractice’. IMA junior doctors have also demanded for a CBI investigation on the paper leak allegations and other irregularities.

Edited by Anu Parthiban, chief sub-editor for Careers360 news team.