In a significant development, the Supreme Court of India issued notices to the Centre and the National Testing Agency (NTA) on a petition to cancel the NEET UG 2024 results. The petitioners argue that the sanctity of the medical entrance examination has been compromised. Despite these concerns, the Supreme Court did not halt the ongoing counseling process for undergraduate medical admissions.
The apex court remarked, “Sanctity has been affected, we need answers,” and scheduled the hearing of this petition, along with a related pending petition, for July 8. The petitioners, comprising ten NEET candidates, demand the cancellation of the NEET UG exam and call for a re-examination. They also challenge the NTA’s controversial decision to award grace marks to approximately 1,600 students.
In response to the controversy, the NTA released a statement regarding a viral video showing a candidate from Uttar Pradesh with a torn OMR sheet. The agency clarified that the decision to award grace marks was based on recommendations from a committee, which took into account issues like the distribution of incorrect question papers and damaged OMR sheets.
NTA’s Director-General emphasized that grace marks were given to candidates who lost time due to these administrative errors. A four-member committee has been established to review the situation thoroughly to address the ongoing concerns. The committee is expected to submit its report within a week, which will inform the final decision on whether a re-examination is necessary.
The controversy has sparked widespread dissatisfaction among students and parents. The allocation of grace marks resulted in several students achieving near-perfect scores, raising questions about the fairness of the results. Notably, students scored 718, 719, and even 720 marks, making them toppers under the grace marks provision.
Political leaders have also weighed in on the issue. Rahul Gandhi from the Congress, Akhilesh Yadav from the Samajwadi Party, and Sanjay Singh from the Aam Aadmi Party criticized the government’s handling of the NEET exam. Rahul Gandhi pledged to voice the students’ concerns in Parliament. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin reiterated his state’s longstanding opposition to NEET, highlighting the predicted disadvantages of the national-level medical entrance exam.
As the NEET 2024 controversy unfolds, all eyes are on the forthcoming Supreme Court hearing and the findings of the newly formed committee, which will shape the future course of action.
Stay tuned for more updates on this developing story.
