If Sanctity of Exam Is Lost, Re-Test Has To Be Ordered: Supreme Court On NEET UG

New Delhi: The Supreme Court said Monday that if the sanctity of the medical entrance exam NEET-UG 2024 is “lost” and if the leak of its question paper has been propagated through social media, then a re-test has to be ordered. As per the cause list for July 8 uploaded on the top court’s website, the pleas are listed before a bench of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra.
A bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud also said if the question paper leak was taking place through Telegram, WhatsApp and electronic means, then “it spreads like wildfire”. According to the cause list for July 8 uploaded on the top court’s website, the pleas are listed before a bench of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra. “One thing is clear that leak of question paper has taken place,” the bench added.
If we are unable to identify those who are guilty, then a re-test has to be ordered: Supreme Court
“If the sanctity of the exam is lost, then a re-test has to be ordered. If we are unable to identify those who are guilty, then a re-test has to be ordered,” the bench observed, adding that if the leak was propagated through social media, then a re-test has to be ordered. “Let us not be in self-denial about what happened,” it said, adding, “Assuming that the government does not cancel the exam, what will it do to identify the beneficiaries of the question paper leak?”
The Supreme Court is hearing a series of pleas related to the controversy-ridden medical entrance exam National Eligibility cum Entrance Test-Undergraduate (NEET-UG) 2024, including those alleging irregularities and malpractices in the May 5 test and seeking a direction to conduct it afresh. The apex court was hearing more than 30 pleas related to the controversy-ridden NEET-UG. “There is no question that leak of question paper has taken place. We are determining the extent of the leak,” the bench observed.
Certain Red Flags As 67 candidates had scored 720 out of 720
The apex court said there were certain “red flags” as 67 candidates had scored 720 out of 720. “In the previous years, the proportion was very low,” the bench added, PTI reported. Additionally, the top court said it wanted to know how many people benefited from the question paper leak and what actions were taken against them by the Centre. “Results of how many wrongdoers have been withheld, and we want to know the geographical distribution of such beneficiaries,” it further asked.
The bench is also hearing a separate plea of over 50 successful Gujarat-based NEET-UG including several who have been ranked first, have moved the Supreme Court seeking a direction to restrain the Centre and the National Testing Agency from cancelling the controversy-ridden exam. The lawyers representing a petitioner started the submissions, saying that they were seeking the cancellation of the exam on grounds such as paper leak, OMR sheet manipulation, impersonation and cheating.
Earlier this month, the Centre and the National Testing Agency (NTA) told the apex court that scrapping the exam would be “counterproductive” and “seriously jeopardise” lakhs of honest candidates in the absence of any proof of large-scale breach of confidentiality.
Speaking of the NTA NEET Result 2024 irregularities, various concerns have been raised in these pleas: some allege a paper leak, others demand the complete cancellation and re-conduct of the entrance exam, and some call for an investigation into the operations of the National Testing Agency (NTA). The NTA and the Union Education Ministry have been the focus of media debates and protests by students and political parties due to allegations of widespread malpractices, including question paper leaks and impersonation, in the test conducted on May 5. At present, the next hearing is scheduled for Thursday, July 11.
(With PTI Inputs)