New Delhi [India], The central government has told the Supreme Court that in the absence of evidence of a large-scale breach of confidentiality in the NEET-UG 2024 exam, it would not be rational to scrap the entire exam.
Completely scrapping the NEET-UG exam held on May 5 would "severely endanger" thousands of honest candidates who attempted to take the question paper in 2024, the Education Ministry said.
He further stated that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has been asked to conduct an investigation into the entire gamut of allegations of alleged irregularities, including conspiracy, cheating, impersonation, breach of trust, etc.
"In the absence of evidence of a large-scale breach of confidentiality in a pan-India examination, it would not be rational to discard the entire examination and the results already declared. It is submitted that in any examination there are competing rights that have been created by which “The interests of a large number of students who have taken the exam without adopting any supposedly unfair means should not be jeopardized. Scrapping the exam in its entirety would seriously endanger thousands of honest candidates who attempted to take the question paper in 2024,” he states. the sworn statement.
The Center further stated in its affidavit that the Union of India is committed to conducting all tenders in a "fair and transparent manner".
"The Union of India duly appreciates that confidentiality of question papers is the top priority in any examination and that if due to any offense at the behest of some criminal elements, confidentiality has been breached, the Union of India holds that such person "she must be dealt with severely and with the full force of the law to ensure that she is punished," the affidavit reads.
The Center has filed an affidavit on a batch of petitions pending before the high court seeking directions to withdraw the results of NEET-UG 2024 and conduct the exam again, alleging paper leaks and malpractices in the test conducted.
The top court had already refused to stay NEET-UG counselling, 2024.
The high court will hear the cases on July 8.
Responding to the petitions, the Ministry said that the pleas raised in the petitions for cancellation of the exam and retesting based on "assumptions" and "conjectures" should be rejected.
He also informed the high court that a high-level committee has been constituted to suggest measures for effective, smooth and transparent conduct of examinations by the National Testing Agency (NTA).
The committee has begun its deliberations and has sought suggestions from the public on reform measures, he added.
Meanwhile, the NTA also filed an affidavit before the Supreme Court opposing the cancellation of NEET-UG exam and said that the alleged malpractices occurred only in Patna and Godhra centers and the entire exam should not be canceled based on individual cases.
The sanctity of NEET-UG cannot be questioned by sporadic cases of alleged document leakage which is limited to a very small number of candidates, he said.
"Isolated and sporadic cases of alleged leak of documents, which are limited to a very small number of candidates, may not be considered sufficient to impugn and attack the sanctity of NEET-UG 2024. Even otherwise, a proportionately large number of candidates , who are not involved and "Have no connection with such incidents, do not deserve innocent victims to suffer the adverse consequences that result from an avoidable re-conducting of the entire exam," the testing agency stated.
Earlier, while hearing the case, the top court had told the Center and the NTA that if there is any negligence in the conduct of the NEET-UG exam, it should be dealt with thoroughly.
The NEET-UG exam, conducted by NTA, is the route for admission to MBBS, BDS and AYUSH and other related courses in government and private institutions across the country.
Completely scrapping the NEET-UG exam held on May 5 would "severely endanger" thousands of honest candidates who attempted to take the question paper in 2024, the Education Ministry said.
He further stated that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has been asked to conduct an investigation into the entire gamut of allegations of alleged irregularities, including conspiracy, cheating, impersonation, breach of trust, etc.
"In the absence of evidence of a large-scale breach of confidentiality in a pan-India examination, it would not be rational to discard the entire examination and the results already declared. It is submitted that in any examination there are competing rights that have been created by which “The interests of a large number of students who have taken the exam without adopting any supposedly unfair means should not be jeopardized. Scrapping the exam in its entirety would seriously endanger thousands of honest candidates who attempted to take the question paper in 2024,” he states. the sworn statement.
The Center further stated in its affidavit that the Union of India is committed to conducting all tenders in a "fair and transparent manner".
"The Union of India duly appreciates that confidentiality of question papers is the top priority in any examination and that if due to any offense at the behest of some criminal elements, confidentiality has been breached, the Union of India holds that such person "she must be dealt with severely and with the full force of the law to ensure that she is punished," the affidavit reads.
The Center has filed an affidavit on a batch of petitions pending before the high court seeking directions to withdraw the results of NEET-UG 2024 and conduct the exam again, alleging paper leaks and malpractices in the test conducted.
The top court had already refused to stay NEET-UG counselling, 2024.
The high court will hear the cases on July 8.
Responding to the petitions, the Ministry said that the pleas raised in the petitions for cancellation of the exam and retesting based on "assumptions" and "conjectures" should be rejected.
He also informed the high court that a high-level committee has been constituted to suggest measures for effective, smooth and transparent conduct of examinations by the National Testing Agency (NTA).
The committee has begun its deliberations and has sought suggestions from the public on reform measures, he added.
Meanwhile, the NTA also filed an affidavit before the Supreme Court opposing the cancellation of NEET-UG exam and said that the alleged malpractices occurred only in Patna and Godhra centers and the entire exam should not be canceled based on individual cases.
The sanctity of NEET-UG cannot be questioned by sporadic cases of alleged document leakage which is limited to a very small number of candidates, he said.
"Isolated and sporadic cases of alleged leak of documents, which are limited to a very small number of candidates, may not be considered sufficient to impugn and attack the sanctity of NEET-UG 2024. Even otherwise, a proportionately large number of candidates , who are not involved and "Have no connection with such incidents, do not deserve innocent victims to suffer the adverse consequences that result from an avoidable re-conducting of the entire exam," the testing agency stated.
Earlier, while hearing the case, the top court had told the Center and the NTA that if there is any negligence in the conduct of the NEET-UG exam, it should be dealt with thoroughly.
The NEET-UG exam, conducted by NTA, is the route for admission to MBBS, BDS and AYUSH and other related courses in government and private institutions across the country.
