On Monday, the Supreme Court of India is set to hear several petitions pertaining to the NEET-UG 2024 dispute. 38 applications are being heard in this hearing, which is seeking orders to retake the exam because of purported anomalies and malpractices.
Central Government’s Stand
The National Testing Agency (NTA), which administers NEET-UG, and the federal government are against the petitions. They contend that eliminating the test would “seriously jeopardize” the careers of many deserving applicants. The ministry said, “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
The NTA expressed the same opinion as the government, stating that postponing the exam would be “hugely counterproductive” and detrimental to the general welfare. According to the NTA, “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.”
Following claims of rampant malpractice during the May 5 test, including question paper leaks and impersonation, the issue surrounding NEET-UG 2024 grew more intense. Protests and contentious media discussions have resulted from these allegations. The NTA and the Union Education Ministry have insisted that there is no convincing proof of major irregularities in the exam procedure, notwithstanding these accusations.
High-Level Committee Formation
The government formed a high-level expert committee in reaction to the scandal to suggest policies for the NTA’s transparent and equitable examination procedures. This group seeks to strengthen the National Testing Agency’s overall organization and operations, as well as data security protocols.
Perfect Scores Under Scrutiny
The problem attracted more attention when six students from a Haryana facility were among the 67 pupils who achieved an extraordinary perfect score of 720. There have been claims that these flawless scores were influenced by grace marks. The NTA changed the NEET-UG results on July 1st, making 61 instead of 67 the top rankers.
Ongoing Legal Battle
On July 8, the Supreme Court will consider petitions requesting the cancelation of the exam, a retest, and an investigation overseen by the court. Both the NTA and the central government have reaffirmed that they oppose eliminating the exam in the absence of hard proof of misconduct.
Affidavits Filed
The Supreme Court has received documents from the Union Education Ministry and the NTA rejecting the requests for a retest and a court-monitored investigation. A director in the ministry of education filed an affidavit with the ministry stating, “It would not be rational to scrap the entire examination and the results already declared.”
The NTA administers the NEET-UG, a crucial entrance exam, to applicants for admission to MBBS, BDS, AYUSH, and other relevant programs in government and private universities throughout India. Over 2.3 million candidates took the exam on May 5, 2024, in 4,750 locations in 571 cities. A great deal of protest and political discourse have resulted from claims of anomalies, including question paper leaks. On July 1, the NTA released the results of a retest that was conducted and then revealed the updated rank list.
