The conundrum around the 2024 NEET-UG exam finally takes a pause. There will be no re-test for the 2024 NEET-UG exam, the Supreme Court ordered on Tuesday. The reason provided is that the two localized leaks of the question paper did not suggest any “systemic breach” or compromise of the “sanctity” of the examination.
Despite this order, the court admitted the question paper leak in Jharkhand’s Hazaribagh and Patna in Bihar. This question paper leak is no more an allegation, and the fact that the question paper was leaked is ‘not in dispute’ anymore. But it also added that it does not at any front prove that “the result of the exam was vitiated or (that) there was a systemic breach in the sanctity of the exam”.
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Question papers leaked at two centers
Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, who led the bench, mentioned ‘big consequences’ concerning a retest for 23.33 lakh aspiring medical professionals. Traveling hundreds of kilometers from their home to respective exam centers will be chaos which should be avoided.
The Chief Justice acknowledged the fact that the question paper leaked in Jharkhand’s Hazaribagh and Patna in Bihar. CBI flagged the Hazaribagh leak as ‘Ground Zero’, making multiple arrests, including a man called Rakesh Ranjan, alias Rocky. Initially, the court reported allegations such as question papers being circulated on social media such as telegram, 24 hours before the examination. It was based on this report that re-examination was considered as the ‘last option’.
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Several allegations plagued NEET-UG 2024
The controversies regarding NEET-UG 2024 started after the results were declared. NEET-UG 2024 is plagued with allegations of question paper leaks and other irregularities, which impacted the future of over 23 lakh students who appeared in the exam on May 5. There were questions regarding the ‘grace marks’ of 1563 students after the 67 perfect scores were recorded in the result.
CBI also reported on July 17 and July 21, that at least 155 students from centers in Hazaribagh and Patna were the beneficiaries, on which the possibility of segregation and canceling them from the admission process was also discussed. On July 22, following the NEET UG Supreme Court hearing proceedings, the SC asked the IIT- Delhi Director to assign three of its finest professors to solve the “ambiguous” physics question in the NEET-UG 2024 exam within 24 hours and report back.
The re-test of 1563 students was conducted, with hundreds not appearing for the re-examinations and others securing fewer marks than before.
About the Author
Ms Anuja Choudhary is a public policy enthusiast and Master in Philosophy from LSR, DU. With a keen eye for authenticity, she is currently honing her craft as a writer to pen down the voices with utmost sincerity and integrity.
