NEET UG 2024 counseling starts in mid-July, with four rounds planned. The Centre warns that candidates involved in malpractice will face cancellation, and further policy decisions will follow if more paper leak beneficiaries are identified.
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NEW DELHI: The NEET UG 2024 counselling is set to begin in the third week of July, and it will be conducted in four rounds. The Central government has issued a strong warning that any candidate found guilty of malpractice will have their candidature cancelled. Additionally, if more beneficiaries of the paper leak are identified, the government will take further policy decisions regarding the counselling process. This information comes from a fresh affidavit filed by the Centre before the Supreme Court, just hours ahead of a crucial hearing.
Detailed Technical Evaluation by IIT Madras
The Central government has revealed that an exhaustive technical evaluation of the NEET UG 2024 data was undertaken by the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras. The analysis concluded that there is very little likelihood of any malpractice having taken place. The study employed several parameters, including marks distribution among candidates, city-wise and centre-wise rank distribution, among others.
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“The marks distribution follows the typical bell-shaped curve seen in large-scale exams, indicating no abnormalities. There is a notable increase in student scores, particularly in the 550 to 720 range, which is consistent across various cities and centers. This rise is attributed to a 25% reduction in the syllabus. Additionally, candidates achieving high scores are distributed across multiple cities and centers, suggesting a very low likelihood of malpractice.”
Supreme Court’s July 8 Order
In response to the Supreme Court’s order on July 8, the Centre and the National Testing Agency (NTA) were required to submit detailed information on the following points:
- The nature of the leak, the locations where the leak occurred, and the elapsed time between the leak and the examination.
- Steps taken to identify the beneficiaries of the leak.
- The feasibility of using data analytics to identify suspect or suspicious cases, utilizing either the cyber forensic unit or other expert agencies.
- Modalities to be followed between the conclusion of the examination, including the re-test held for 1,563 students, and the commencement of the counselling process.
- Future steps to ensure the integrity of NEET examinations and prevent similar incidents.
The third and fifth points were to be addressed by the Central government, while the remaining points were the responsibility of the NTA. The recent affidavit has been submitted in compliance with these directives.
Steps to Ensure Fair Counselling
The government has emphasized that strict measures will be implemented to ensure the integrity of the NEET UG 2024 counselling process. The counselling, scheduled to start in the third week of July, will be conducted in four rounds to accommodate all eligible candidates effectively.
Moreover, the government has reiterated that any malpractice detected will lead to the immediate cancellation of the involved candidate’s participation. This stern warning aims to maintain the fairness and credibility of the entire examination and counselling process.
Impact of Syllabus Reduction
The affidavit also highlighted an overall increase in student marks, particularly in the range of 550 to 720. This improvement is attributed to a 25% reduction in the syllabus, which has seemingly benefitted students across various cities and canters. The distribution of high marks among candidates from multiple locations further supports the conclusion of minimal malpractice likelihood.
As the NEET UG 2024 counselling approaches in the third week of July, the Central Government has taken significant steps to enhance the integrity and fairness of future examinations. Following a Supreme Court directive, the government has formed a seven-member panel to recommend measures for conducting transparent and fair examinations by the National Testing Agency (NTA).
Introduction of a Seven-Member Panel
Late Wednesday evening, the Union of India submitted an affidavit detailing the formation of a panel comprised of distinguished members from various educational and administrative backgrounds. The members include:
- Dr. K Radhakrishnan, Former Chairman of ISRO and Chairman BoG, IIT Kanpur
- Dr. Randeep Guleria, Former Director of AIIMS Delhi
- Prof BJ Rao, Vice Chancellor at the Central University of Hyderabad
- Prof Ramamurthy K, Professor 4 Emeritus, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Madras
- Shri Pankaj Bansal, Co-Founder of People Strong and Board Member- Karmayogi Bharat
- Prof Aditya Mittal, Dean of Student Affairs, IIT Delhi
- Shri Govind Jaiswal, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Education, Govt. of India
The committee has also co-opted two additional experts:
- Prof Amey Karkare, Professor of Computer Science and Engineering at IIT Kanpur
- Dr Debapriya Roy, Assistant Professor at IIT Kanpur
Government Commitment to Examination Integrity
The formation of this committee is part of the government’s commitment to ensuring the sanctity of examinations and protecting the interests of over 23 lakh students. This action aims to address concerns without burdening students with a re-examination based on “unsupported apprehensions.”
Response to the Supreme Court’s Directives
The Supreme Court had earlier highlighted that the NEET-UG held on May 5 was compromised by a question paper leak. In response, the NTA was tasked with identifying the beneficiaries of the leak, the centers and cities where the leak occurred, and the modalities used to identify these beneficiaries. The Court also requested a status report from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on its probe into the alleged leak and associated malpractices.
Upcoming Supreme Court Hearing
The next hearing, scheduled for today(on July 11), is set to address a batch of petitions relating to alleged irregularities in the conduct of the NEET-UG exam this year. Despite the controversies, the Supreme Court, on June 11, refused to halt counselling for admissions to medical colleges, underscoring the need for a balanced approach that considers the impact on students.
