Supreme Court refuses to cancel NEET UG 2024; says ‘no data to show exam sanctity affected’

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court has refused to cancel the National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET) UG 2024 held on May 5 citing that re NEET is not justified, as per a Live Law report. A bench comprising the Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud and justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra were hearing over 40 petitions by candidates seeking re-exam due to alleged paper leak and irregularities.

“Data on record is not indicative of a systemic leak of the question paper which would indicate a disruption of the sanctity of the exam,” CJI Chandrachud observed while hearing the case.

Supreme Court hearing on NEET UG 2024: Conclusions of SC

The top court made the following conclusions after hearing the petitioners' counsel and representatives of the National Testing Agency as well as the central government:

• NEET paper leak did happen.
• The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed six reports and the probe is still underway.
• Currently, there is lack of material on record sufficient enough to lead to the conclusion that the NEET result 2024 was vitiated or there was systemic breach in the sanctity of the exam.
• The data produced on record doesn't indicate a "systemic" leak of the question paper which would lead to the compromise in the sanctity of NEET 2024.
• The apex court is mindful of the fact that directing a fresh NEET exam would have serious consequences on the students appearing for the exam including disruption of admission schedule for medical courses; effects on the course of medical education; impact on the availability of medical professionals in future, and disadvantage to marginalised students.

Earlier today, the solicitor general of India told the Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud that 155 candidates benefited from the NEET paper leak. The CJI asked if the paper leak was widespread, but the National Testing Agency (NTA)’s representative refused and informed him that the paper was shared at two locations in Jharkhand’s Hazaribagh and one location in Bihar’s Patna.

NTA recently announced the city and centre-wise NEET results 2024 following the direction of the CJI in the last hearing. According to the analysis of the NEET UG 2024 result data, 259 candidates from a centre in Rajkot scored above 600 out of 720 in the exam while more than 2,000 aspirants in Sikar got 650 plus scores.

NEET Controversy

During the initial hearing, the central government admitted that there was one instance of paper leak and informed SC that the persons involved have been arrested while results of those who benefitted from the malpractice have been withheld.

NTA and BJP government have been at the center of target by agitated students and opposition parties as NEET UG 2024 was marred by controversy over allegations of paper leak, alleged irregularities, grace marks, unusual number of toppers, and other issues. Aspirants and opposition leaders held several protests and demanded scrapping of NTA and resignation of union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

NEET UG 2024 re-exam results on July 1 and the number of toppers dropped to 61. 750 students who skipped the exam will have to accept their scores before addition of grace marks, as per NTA’s decision. 813 candidates out of 1,563 appeared for the re-exam held on June 23.

SC on June 13 cancelled the NEET results 2024 of 1,563 candidates who were awarded compensatory marks for the loss of time and asked the NTA to withdraw their results. The testing agency informed the court about a re-exam on June 23 based on the recommendations of a high-powered committee. Both NTA and centre denied any irregularities in the exam then.

67 candidates secured the All India Rank (AIR) 1 in NEET exam this year whose results were announced on June 4, 10 days before the actual announcement date.