SC to Hear Petition Seeking NEET-UG 2024 Re-exam Over Alleged Paper Leak

Court Demands Response from NTA; Next Hearing Scheduled for July 8

New Delhi: The Supreme Court of India will hear a petition today that seeks the cancellation of the NEET-UG 2024 examination and the conduct of a re-exam due to an alleged paper leak. The vacation bench, consisting of Justices Vikram Nath and Ahsanuddin Amanullah, will address the plea filed by Shivangi Mishra and nine others on June 1, prior to the announcement of the exam results (Shivangi Mishra and others vs. National Testing Agency and others Diary No.25656/2024).

In a significant development, the Supreme Court has sought a response from the National Testing Agency (NTA) on the matter and has issued a notice to the agency. The next hearing on the NEET case is scheduled for July 8.

Background and Allegations of NEET UG 2024 Exam

On May 17, while reviewing a similar petition, the Supreme Court, led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, declined to stay the results of the NEET-UG exam. Although the court issued a notice on that petition and scheduled further hearings for July, it emphasized that halting the nationwide exam results was not feasible.

The plea against the NTA alleges that the May 5 examination was marred by malpractices, including multiple instances of paper leaks. This, the petition argues, violates Article 14 of the Constitution (right to equality) by giving an unfair advantage to some candidates over others who took the exam honestly.

Political Reactions

The alleged irregularities have drawn significant political attention, with parties such as the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Congress calling for stringent investigations. The AAP has demanded a Supreme Court-monitored Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into the allegations. Congress leaders Priyanka Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and KC Venugopal have publicly condemned the alleged paper leak and corruption.

In a tweet on X, Priyanka Gandhi highlighted the impact of these irregularities on students: “Lakhs of children prepare hard for exams like NEET and spend the most precious moments of their lives preparing for it. The whole family puts their faith and strength in this effort. But year after year, paper leaks and irregularities related to results have been reported in these exams.”

The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), affiliated with the RSS, has also called for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry into the NEET-UG allegations.

NTA’s Response

The NTA has set up a four-member committee to review the results of 1,563 candidates from specific regions, including Meghalaya, Bahadurgarh in Haryana, Dantewada and Balodh in Chhattisgarh, Surat in Gujarat, and Chandigarh. There are allegations that these candidates received grace marks for ‘loss of time.’

Subodh Kumar Singh, Director General of NTA, stated, “A high-powered committee has been set up to review the results of over 1,563 candidates. The four-member panel, headed by a former UPSC chairman, will submit its recommendations within a week, and the results of these candidates might be revised.”

Despite these steps, the NTA has denied any wrongdoing, attributing the high marks to changes in NCERT textbooks and the awarding of grace marks. The NTA maintains that no irregularities occurred.

Exam Statistics

A total of 24 lakh candidates registered for the NEET-UG exam, with 97% of them attempting it. This exam is crucial for admissions to MBBS, BDS, and AYUSH programs in both government and private institutions across India.

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Stay tuned for live updates from today’s Supreme Court hearing on this critical issue that impacts the future of thousands of aspiring medical students.