The Supreme Court will hear a series of petitions concerning alleged paper leakage and malpractices in the NEET-UG 2024 exam on July 18. This exam, held on May 5, is crucial for admissions into medical and dental programs across India. The case will be reviewed by a bench comprising Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, Justice JB Pardiwala, and Justice Manoj Misra.
The hearing was originally set for July 15 but was adjourned to give the petitioners time to respond to affidavits filed by the Centre and the National Testing Agency (NTA). The court noted that some parties had not received these affidavits, necessitating the delay to allow them to prepare their responses.
On July 11, the Central government filed an affidavit denying any widespread malpractice in the NEET-UG 2024 exam. According to this affidavit, data analytics performed by the Indian Institute of Technology Madras found no evidence of mass cheating or localised advantages leading to unusual scores.
The affidavit also mentioned that counselling for the exam would begin in the third week of July and assured that any candidate found to have benefited from malpractice would have their candidature cancelled at any stage of the process.
The NTA also submitted an affidavit addressing the allegations. It stated that a video circulating on Telegram, allegedly showing a leaked photo of the exam paper dated May 4, was manipulated and fake.
The NTA conducted an analysis of the marks distribution at various levels—national, state, city, and centre—and found it to be normal, indicating no extraneous factors influencing the results.
The Supreme Court is dealing with multiple pleas seeking to recall the NEET-UG 2024 results and to conduct the exam again due to the alleged malpractices. Aspirants who approached the court raised concerns about the leakage of the question paper, the awarding of compensatory marks, and anomalies in the exam questions.
The NEET-UG exam, managed by the NTA, is the primary route for admissions into MBBS, BDS, AYUSH, and other related courses in both government and private institutions across India. This year, the exam was held in 4,750 centres nationwide, with approximately 24 lakh candidates appearing.
As the Supreme Court prepares to hear these petitions, the focus is on ensuring the integrity of the NEET-UG exam process. The outcome of this case will have significant implications for the future of many aspiring medical and dental students across the country.
The court's decision will be closely watched by students, parents, and educational institutions alike, as it aims to address and resolve the concerns surrounding one of India's most critical entrance exams.
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