NEW DELHI: In a decision that will come as relief for lakhs of medical students, the Supreme Court on Tuesday said the 2024 NEET-UG exam will not be reconducted.
But ranks of 13 lakh students will face reshuffle after the top court directed the NTA to revise the results of the NEET-UG 2024 by treating option (4) as the only correct answer to an ‘ambiguous’ question — carrying 4 marks — in the exam.The question number was not disclosed to maintain procedural integrity.
Major irregularities were discovered in the NEET-UG examination process and many petitioners had demanded that the test be reconducted.
The Supreme Court, however, dismissed the pleas for re-test, stating: “At this stage, the court has independently scrutinised the data placed on record by the NTA. At the present stage, there is absence of material on record to lead to conclusion that result of the exam is vitiated or that there is a systemic breach of the sanctity of the exam.”
“Ordering cancellation of NEET-UG examination will not be justified on application of settled tests, framed earlier by SC, based on material on record,” said Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud, who dictated the order in court.
The bench, however, said the fact that the question paper leak took place in Hazaribagh and Patna was not in dispute.
The NTA and the Union education ministry have been at the centre of a massive political row and protests by students over alleged largescale malpractices ranging from question paper leaks to impersonation in the test held on May 5.
The NEET-UG 2024 was taken by 23.33 lakh students at 4,750 centres in 571 cities, including in 14 overseas.
The National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test-Undergraduate (NEET-UG) is conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) for admissions to MBBS, BDS, AYUSH and other related courses in government and private institutions across the country.
But ranks of 13 lakh students will face reshuffle after the top court directed the NTA to revise the results of the NEET-UG 2024 by treating option (4) as the only correct answer to an ‘ambiguous’ question — carrying 4 marks — in the exam.The question number was not disclosed to maintain procedural integrity.
Major irregularities were discovered in the NEET-UG examination process and many petitioners had demanded that the test be reconducted.
The Supreme Court, however, dismissed the pleas for re-test, stating: “At this stage, the court has independently scrutinised the data placed on record by the NTA. At the present stage, there is absence of material on record to lead to conclusion that result of the exam is vitiated or that there is a systemic breach of the sanctity of the exam.”
“Ordering cancellation of NEET-UG examination will not be justified on application of settled tests, framed earlier by SC, based on material on record,” said Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud, who dictated the order in court.
The bench, however, said the fact that the question paper leak took place in Hazaribagh and Patna was not in dispute.
The NTA and the Union education ministry have been at the centre of a massive political row and protests by students over alleged largescale malpractices ranging from question paper leaks to impersonation in the test held on May 5.
The NEET-UG 2024 was taken by 23.33 lakh students at 4,750 centres in 571 cities, including in 14 overseas.
The National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test-Undergraduate (NEET-UG) is conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) for admissions to MBBS, BDS, AYUSH and other related courses in government and private institutions across the country.