NEET-UG 2024: Supreme Court Says No Systematic Breach, Paper Leak In Patna And Hazaribagh
While giving its verdict on NEET-UG retest pleas, the Supreme Court held that there was no systematic breach in the examinations on Friday. The top court added that the paper leak was limited to Patna and Hazaribagh.
A three-judge bench, headed by CJI DY Chandrachud, asked the National Testing Agency (NTA), the government body under the Education Ministry, which has the mandate to conduct entrance and competitive exams, to fix the loopholes and avoid ‘flip-flops.’
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The court said, “We have come to the conclusion that there was no systematic breach in the NEET UG 2024 exam beyond Hazaribagh and Patna. We have held the answer by IIT Delhi was the correct one. We have said that NTA must now avoid the flip-flops that have happened because it does not serve well.”
“These issues such as rear door being kept open in strong room etc, then granting compensatory marks, then grace marks which led to 44 getting 720/720 – we have highlighted all errors of NTA and thus the committee should identify and rectify these. These issues which have arisen must be rectified by the Union of India this year itself so that it is not repeated,” the bench added.
The court said that the issues that have been raised must be rectified by the Centre this year to preserve the integrity of examinations in the country.
The court added that the committee constituted by the Centre also consider framing standard operating procedure (SOP) for technological advancements to identify the weaknesses in the exam system, CCTV camera monitoring of examination centres, and processes for enhanced identity checks.
The CJI asked the NTA to evaluate the viability of using closed vehicles with real time locks instead of opening e-rickshaws for carrying question papers.
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On July 23, the court had refused to order a re-examination, citing insufficient evidence to support the claim of widespread leaks of the question papers. The detailed verdict was pronounced today.
Multiple NEET candidates had approached the apex court seeking a re-test of the NEET UG exam, which has been marred by allegations of mass question paper leaks. The central government and the NTA had opposed conducting any retest, citing that the leak was limited to a handful of candidates.
