Today, On 7th August, The Delhi High Court dismissed a candidate’s plea claiming that an out-of-syllabus question appeared in the NEET exam. The court found no merit in the argument, concluding the case without further action. This ruling maintains the integrity of the NEET exam process.
New Delhi: The Delhi High Court rejected a petition filed by a NEET candidate, who claimed that an “out-of-syllabus” question appeared in the entrance exam.
The court stated that it could not question the expertise of subject matter specialists or replace their judgment with its own.
In its decision, the high court emphasized that judicial bodies are not subject experts. Their role is to interpret and apply the law to the specific facts and circumstances of each case, rather than evaluate academic content.
The petitioner’s grievance centered on a physics question related to “radioactivity,” which they argued was not included in this year’s NEET-UG syllabus. However, the court pointed out that the National Testing Agency (NTA), responsible for conducting the exam, had consulted subject experts.
These experts clarified that the syllabus did cover “composition and size of nucleus” and “atomic masses” in Unit No. 18 under the chapter “Atoms and Nuclei.“
Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma stated,
“The subject experts have negated the challenge of the petitioner. Therefore, this court is of the opinion that it cannot substitute its own understanding for that of the experts, who are better equipped to address the complexities and nuances of the subject,”
Justice Sharma further asserted,
“When academic and subject experts of NTA have opined that the impugned question has been prepared from the prescribed syllabus of NEET (UG)-2024, this court cannot doubt the wisdom of the experts and substitute its opinion in place of the same.”
Additionally, the high court dismissed two separate petitions from other candidates who claimed that certain answers incorrectly recorded. The court maintained that unless an error is evident, it cannot re-evaluate or re-assess the answers to disputed questions.
Read Also: NEET Row | 56 Gujarat Students Approach Supreme Court Against RE-NEET
The NEET-UG 2024 examination, conducted by the NTA on May 5, took place across 4,750 centers and was attended by around 24 lakh candidates. The results, initially expected on June 14, were released earlier on June 4 due to the expedited evaluation process.
Furthermore, on July 23, the Supreme Court refused to cancel the NEET-UG 2024, noting the absence of evidence indicating a systemic leak of question papers that would undermine the exam’s integrity.
The NEET-UG exam is held annually by the NTA to facilitate admissions to MBBS, BDS, AYUSH, and other related courses in both government and private institutions across India.