New Delhi, July 19, 2024 — The Supreme Court heard multiple petitions on Thursday demanding a re-test or cancellation of the 2024 NEET-UG examination, raising concerns over the Centre and the National Testing Agency (NTA)’s handling of alleged paper leaks. The NEET-UG exam, held on May 5 and attended by nearly 24 lakh aspiring medical professionals, has been mired in controversy due to accusations of leaked question papers and incorrectly awarded ‘grace marks’.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the NTA, reported that the CBI investigation found that at a centre in Hazaribagh, Jharkhand, unauthorized photographs of the question papers were taken between 8 AM and 9:20 AM on the day of the exam. The CBI has been tasked with investigating the case.
Supreme Court Skeptical of Leak Impact
A bench led by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud expressed skepticism over whether the entire paper could have been solved in the 45 minutes before the exam started at 10:15 AM. Mr. Mehta explained that a gang of seven individuals divided the questions among themselves to expedite the process. Chief Justice Chandrachud remarked, “The whole hypothesis that within 45 minutes there was a breach and the entire paper was solved and given to students seems very far-fetched.”
The court heard that the leaked questions were solved and provided to students who allegedly paid the gang, prompting further examination of the situation.
Given the social implications and the number of students affected, the bench, also comprising Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, prioritized the hearing. The court set the next hearing date for July 22 after a day of arguments.
Defense by Exam Authorities
Senior advocate Narender Hooda, representing some petitioners, argued for the cancellation of NEET-UG 2024, citing “systemic failure.” He claimed that the transportation of question papers was compromised, highlighting that they were in the custody of a private courier company for six days and were transported in an e-rickshaw to an exam centre, where the principal was later arrested for alleged involvement in the racket.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta denied the allegations of a paper leak, asserting that the CBI had investigated the entire chain “from printer to centre” and ensured a “seven-layer security system.”
The Supreme Court emphasized that a re-test would only be ordered if the “sanctity” of the May 5 exam was “lost on a large scale” due to the leaked questions. Chief Justice Chandrachud noted that a re-test could not be justified unless it was shown that the leak affected the entire examination systematically.
NEET-UG 2024 Controversy
The controversy erupted last month after allegations of a question paper leak, purportedly orchestrated by a national ‘solver gang’ network, surfaced on social media. The unusually high number of perfect scores 67 students, including six from one coaching centre raised suspicions. Additionally, questions arose over the award of ‘grace marks’ to 1,563 students, which was not in accordance with exam protocol.
In an affidavit filed last week, the government, citing analysis by IIT Madras, claimed there was no indication of “mass malpractice” or evidence that candidates had benefitted from cheating.
The court continues to weigh the evidence and arguments as it seeks to determine the appropriate course of action regarding the NEET-UG 2024 examination.
