New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday will hear a host of pleas related to the controversial NEET-UG 2024 medical entrance exam, including those alleging irregularities and malpractices in the May 5 test and seeking directions to conduct it again.
The Center and the National Testing Agency (NTA), which conducts NEET-UG, recently told the top court that scrapping the exam would be "counterproductive" and would "seriously endanger" thousands of honest candidates in the absence of any evidence. of large-scale testing. breach of confidentiality.
According to the July 8 cause list uploaded on the court's website, a bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra is scheduled to hear a total of 38 petitions related to the exam. NTA conducts the National Eligibility and Entrance Test for Undergraduate Degree (NEET-UG) for admissions to MBBS, BDS, AYUSH and other related courses in government and private institutions across the country.
The NTA and the Union Education Ministry have been at the center of media debates and protests by students and political parties over alleged large-scale malpractices ranging from question paper leaks to identity theft in the test held on May 5.
The Union Education Ministry and the NTA have filed separate affidavits in the apex court, opposing the petitions seeking scrapping of the exam, a retest and a court-monitored inquiry into the entire range of issues involved.In their responses, they said that the CBI, the country's premier investigation agency, has taken up cases registered in different states.
"It is also submitted that at the same time, 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," Center said in its preliminary affidavit filed by a director of the Ministry of Education.
"Scrapping the exam completely would put thousands of honest candidates who attempted the question paper in 2024 in grave danger," the ministry said. The NTA, in its separate affidavit, reiterated the Centre's stand and said: "Cancellation of all "examination on the basis of the above mentioned factor would be hugely counterproductive and significantly detrimental to the general public interest, especially to the career prospects of qualified Candidates."
The agency said that the entire NEET-UG 2024 exam was conducted fairly and with due confidentiality, without illegal practices, and that the allegation of "massive negligence" during the exam is "completely baseless, misleading and devoid of basis".
"It is submitted that if the entire examination process is canceled without any tangible factors justifying such actions, it would be highly detrimental to the wider public interest involving the academic career of thousands upon thousands of students who have fairly attempted the examination without committing any crime or even an allegation of irregularities," the NTA said. The ministry and the NTA have said there was no evidence of any large-scale breach of confidentiality in the exam taken by over 23 lakh candidates across 4,750 centres. in 571 cities.
The government said it has constituted a high-level expert committee to suggest effective measures for transparent, smooth and fair examinations by the NTA.
The affidavit said the panel will make recommendations on reforms in the examination process mechanism, improvement in data security protocols and structure, and functioning of the National Testing Agency. Initially scheduled for June 14, the Results were announced on June 4 due to early completion of answer sheet evaluation.
Allegations of irregularities, including document leaks, have sparked protests in several cities and clashes between rival political parties.
On June 13, the Center and the NTA told the court that they had canceled the grace marks awarded to 1,563 candidates. They were given the option of retaking the exam or forgoing compensatory marks awarded for loss of time.
The NTA announced the revised ranking list on July 1 after releasing the results of the retest conducted on June 23.
A total of 67 students scored a perfect score of 720, unprecedented in the history of the NTA, with six from a center in Haryana making the list, raising suspicions about irregularities in the exam. It has been alleged that the grace marks contributed to the 67 students sharing the top rank. The number of candidates sharing the top rank in the NEET-UG was reduced from 67 to 61 when the NTA announced the revised results. 1st of July.
The Center and the National Testing Agency (NTA), which conducts NEET-UG, recently told the top court that scrapping the exam would be "counterproductive" and would "seriously endanger" thousands of honest candidates in the absence of any evidence. of large-scale testing. breach of confidentiality.
According to the July 8 cause list uploaded on the court's website, a bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra is scheduled to hear a total of 38 petitions related to the exam. NTA conducts the National Eligibility and Entrance Test for Undergraduate Degree (NEET-UG) for admissions to MBBS, BDS, AYUSH and other related courses in government and private institutions across the country.
The NTA and the Union Education Ministry have been at the center of media debates and protests by students and political parties over alleged large-scale malpractices ranging from question paper leaks to identity theft in the test held on May 5.
The Union Education Ministry and the NTA have filed separate affidavits in the apex court, opposing the petitions seeking scrapping of the exam, a retest and a court-monitored inquiry into the entire range of issues involved.In their responses, they said that the CBI, the country's premier investigation agency, has taken up cases registered in different states.
"It is also submitted that at the same time, 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," Center said in its preliminary affidavit filed by a director of the Ministry of Education.
"Scrapping the exam completely would put thousands of honest candidates who attempted the question paper in 2024 in grave danger," the ministry said. The NTA, in its separate affidavit, reiterated the Centre's stand and said: "Cancellation of all "examination on the basis of the above mentioned factor would be hugely counterproductive and significantly detrimental to the general public interest, especially to the career prospects of qualified Candidates."
The agency said that the entire NEET-UG 2024 exam was conducted fairly and with due confidentiality, without illegal practices, and that the allegation of "massive negligence" during the exam is "completely baseless, misleading and devoid of basis".
"It is submitted that if the entire examination process is canceled without any tangible factors justifying such actions, it would be highly detrimental to the wider public interest involving the academic career of thousands upon thousands of students who have fairly attempted the examination without committing any crime or even an allegation of irregularities," the NTA said. The ministry and the NTA have said there was no evidence of any large-scale breach of confidentiality in the exam taken by over 23 lakh candidates across 4,750 centres. in 571 cities.
The government said it has constituted a high-level expert committee to suggest effective measures for transparent, smooth and fair examinations by the NTA.
The affidavit said the panel will make recommendations on reforms in the examination process mechanism, improvement in data security protocols and structure, and functioning of the National Testing Agency. Initially scheduled for June 14, the Results were announced on June 4 due to early completion of answer sheet evaluation.
Allegations of irregularities, including document leaks, have sparked protests in several cities and clashes between rival political parties.
On June 13, the Center and the NTA told the court that they had canceled the grace marks awarded to 1,563 candidates. They were given the option of retaking the exam or forgoing compensatory marks awarded for loss of time.
The NTA announced the revised ranking list on July 1 after releasing the results of the retest conducted on June 23.
A total of 67 students scored a perfect score of 720, unprecedented in the history of the NTA, with six from a center in Haryana making the list, raising suspicions about irregularities in the exam. It has been alleged that the grace marks contributed to the 67 students sharing the top rank. The number of candidates sharing the top rank in the NEET-UG was reduced from 67 to 61 when the NTA announced the revised results. 1st of July.
