NEW DELHI: The National Testing Agency (NTA) informed the Supreme Court today, 13th June, that the scorecards of 1,563 candidates who received ‘grace marks in the 2024 National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (Undergraduate) will be cancelled, and these candidates will be given the opportunity to reappear for the exam.
The NTA conveyed to a bench with Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta that a committee has been established to review the results of these candidates who were awarded grace marks to compensate for the loss of time during NEET-UG.
"The committee has decided to cancel the scorecards of the 1,563
NEET-UG 2024
candidates who received grace marks, and these students will have the option to take a re-test," the NTA stated.
"The exam will be conducted on June 23, and the results will be declared before June 30," the NTA added.
Taking note of these facts, the bench issued the following order:
"The petitioner, who appeared for NEET-UG 2024, has raised concerns regarding the allocation of compensatory marks to 1,563 candidates. These candidates were granted compensatory marks through the normalisation formula due to not being allowed the full 3 hours and 20 minutes at their examination centres, resulting in a shorter examination time. The compensatory marks were awarded based on the recommendations of a Grievance Redressal Committee, which relied on a judgment from this Court in the case of Disha Panchal vs. Union of India and others." The Supreme Court emphasised that it will not halt the NEET-UG 2024 counselling process.
"Counselling will proceed, and we will not stop it. If the exam is affected, everything is affected, so there is nothing to fear," the Supreme Court declared.
The Supreme Court will continue hearing the petitions on July 8.
The court recorded the NTA's statement that a re-test for the 1,563 students will be officially notified today and is likely to be held on June 23, with results declared before June 30, ensuring that the counselling scheduled to begin in July is not disrupted.
NEET-UG 2024 Result Controversy: What are the Allegations?
Petitions challenging the NEET-UG 2024 results were filed in court due to concerns over three main issues: Awarding of grace marks to some students, allegations of a question paper leak, and suspicions of irregularities at specific exam centres. It was reported that students from states like Odisha, Karnataka, and Jharkhand selected a particular exam centre in Godhra, Gujarat, raising suspicions about the integrity of the exam administration. Also, it was observed that among those who scored full marks, six students have consecutive seat numbers and are from Haryana, suggesting they might have taken the exam at the same center.These concerns raise questions about the fairness and integrity of the entire exam process, prompting calls for cancellation and a re-examination.
Union Education Minister Denies NEET-UG Paper Leak Allegations
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Thursday rejected allegations of a paper leak in the NEET-UG medical entrance exam, asserting that there is no evidence to support such claims. "The allegations of corruption in NTA are unfounded; it is a very credible body," Pradhan told reporters. He emphasised that the Supreme Court is currently hearing the matter and the government will comply with its decision, ensuring that no student is disadvantaged. The Centre informed the Supreme Court that the decision to award grace marks to 1,563 NEET-UG 2024 candidates has been revoked. These candidates will have the option to retake the exam on June 23. If they choose not to, their original scores, without the grace marks, will be considered for their results.
READ ALSO: NTA likely to issue NEET UG re-exam notice for 1500 candidates by today
Multiple Petitioners Challenge NEET-UG 2024 Results
The challenges to the NEET-UG 2024 results come from various parties:
Alakh Pandey, CEO of Physics Wallah: He contested the "arbitrary" awarding of grace marks, arguing it gave unfair advantage to some students.
Abdullah Mohammed Faiz and Dr. Shaik Roshan Mohiddin (SIO members): They sought complete cancellation of the exam due to alleged paper leak and other irregularities.
NEET candidate Jaripiti Kartheek: He challenged the principle of awarding grace marks for supposed loss of time during the exam.
Explained: The Controversy Behind Grace Marks
The official basis for awarding grace marks in NEET-UG 2024 is unclear due to the controversy and subsequent cancellation. Here's what we know:
Uncertain Justification: The National Testing Agency (NTA) reportedly relied on a judgment from a previous exam (CLAT 2018) to award grace marks for "loss of time" experienced by some candidates.
Normalisation Formula: This formula, based on the CLAT case, supposedly adjusted scores based on a candidate's answering efficiency and time lost during the exam.
Lack of Transparency: The specific details of the formula and how it was applied to individual candidates were not publicly available. This lack of transparency fueled suspicion and accusations of arbitrariness.
Reactions from the Political Arena
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra criticised the Modi government for ignoring students' complaints about NEET irregularities and demanded an investigation. Rahul Gandhi echoed her sentiments, promising to raise the issue in Parliament and condemning the government for denying the possibility of a paper leak.
Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal accused the BJP of ruining NEET examinations and called for an exhaustive inquiry. AAP leader Jasmine Shah demanded a Supreme Court-monitored SIT probe, criticising the BJP's failure to properly conduct the entrance exam.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Priyanka Chaturvedi condemned the NEET irregularities, calling for an investigation and strict action. She highlighted the problem of paper leaks and the involvement of coaching centres and colleges in the malpractice.
