'Re-exam only if...': SC on NEET-UG exam row
The Supreme Court, which is hearing over 40 pleas in relation to the controversy-ridden National Eligibility and Entrance Test (NEET) 2024, said a re-exam cannot be ordered simply because certain students wish to reappear. The bench, led by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and including justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, stated that a re-examination will only be considered if there is substantial evidence of widespread compromise to the exam's integrity.
Over 40 petitions filed, including by National Testing Agency
The court further asked petitioners to prove that the alleged paper leak was "systemic" and significantly impacted the entire examination process. The petitions before the Supreme Court call for the cancellation of the exam, re-testing, and an investigation into alleged malpractices in the conduct of NEET-UG 2024, as well as the transfer of NEET-related cases pending against the National Testing Agency (NTA) in various high courts. The NTA is seeking to transfer cases pending against it to prevent multiple litigations.
Re-examination a last resort, says Supreme Court
During the proceedings, data analytics of the NEET-UG 2024 results conducted by IIT-Madras were presented, showing no signs of "mass malpractice" or a localized group of candidates scoring abnormally high marks. The Central government and the NTA have repeatedly opposed the demand for a re-test, asserting that any irregularities were isolated incidents and did not compromise the overall integrity of the exam.
Supreme Court expresses concern over alleged paper leak
In an earlier hearing on July 8, the Supreme Court expressed concerns about the extent of the paper leak and its impact on the fairness of the exam. The court indicated that a re-test might be considered if it was impossible to identify and separate candidates involved in malpractices. Chandrachud stated that mandating a retest for over 23 lakh students would be a last resort, noting that many candidates hail from low-income households and cannot afford the additional trip expenses.
