A three-judge bench of the Supreme Court, headed by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, was hearing a batch of petitions demanding a retest of the NEET-UG (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test for Undergraduate) exam conducted on May 5, 2024. The petitions were filed on the grounds of alleged question paper leaks and other malpractices during the examination.
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NEW DELHI: Today (23rd July): The Chief Justice of India (CJI) addressed critical concerns surrounding the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test for Undergraduates (NEET-UG), including allegations of a question paper leak and systemic issues affecting the exam’s integrity.
A three-judge bench of the Supreme Court, headed by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, was hearing a batch of petitions demanding a retest of the NEET-UG (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test for Undergraduate) exam conducted on May 5, 2024. The petitions were filed on the grounds of alleged question paper leaks and other malpractices during the examination.
The Supreme Court heard the arguments from various parties, including the Additional Director of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), over the course of more than 4 days. After the arguments were concluded, the court reserved its judgment on the matter.
In its ruling, the Supreme Court has upheld the integrity of the NEET-UG 2024 examination and has decided not to order a retest of the exam. The court’s decision was based on its independent scrutiny of the data and analysis provided by the Union government and the CBI’s investigation into the alleged question paper leak.
The Supreme Court has concluded that there is an “absence of material on record to lead to the conclusion that the result of the exam is vitiated or that there is a systemic breach of the sanctity of the exam.”
The court also found that the “data on record is not indicative of a systemic leak of the question paper which would indicate a disruption of the sanctity of the exam.”
The NEET-UG, conducted across 4,750 centers in 571 cities, including 14 international locations, is a pivotal examination for students aspiring to enter medical colleges.
With approximately 24 lakh students competing for 1,08,000 available seats, the stakes are high. The exam comprises 180 questions totaling 720 marks, with each incorrect response resulting in a negative mark. The court noted that the 50th percentile is the benchmark for eligibility.
In response to these serious allegations,
court issued an interim order highlighting the major issues at hand. The CJI emphasized the need for a thorough investigation into the claims of a systemic leak, describing the situation as “systematic” in nature.
To address these concerns, affidavits have been requested from the National Testing Agency (NTA), the Union government, and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The CBI’s involvement is due to the transfer of FIRs from Delhi, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Bihar, and Jharkhand to the agency for a comprehensive investigation.
The court’s intervention underscores the gravity of the situation and the necessity for a meticulous review to ensure the fairness and credibility of the NEET-UG examination process.
The Chief Justice of India (CJI) highlighted the serious consequences that would arise from ordering a fresh NEET-UG exam for the current year, stating that it would disrupt the admission schedule, have cascading effects on medical education, and seriously disadvantage the marginalized groups for whom reservation was made.
The CJI acknowledged
while the initial answer key by the National Testing Agency (NTA) showed the second option as the correct answer to a particular question, after representations were taken into account, both the second and fourth options were considered correct. However, a three-member committee led by the IIT Delhi director subsequently determined that the fourth option was the only correct answer.
Accepting the IIT Delhi report, the CJI directed
NTA to re-tally the NEET-UG result based on the fourth option being the correct answer, while refraining from indicating the specific question number to preserve the integrity of the exam process.
The CJI further noted that the NTA had conducted a special test for 1,563 candidates, who were given the option to either appear for a retest or forgo grace marks, and directed the NTA to act accordingly.”
The key points from the Supreme Court’s ruling are:
- The court acknowledged that the leak of the NEET UG 2024 exam paper had taken place in Hazaribagh and Patna, and the CBI had filed status reports on the ongoing investigation.
- The CBI’s investigation had identified 155 students who appeared to have benefited from the fraud.
- The Union government had provided an analysis by IIT Madras on the exam data from 4,750 centers across 571 cities.
- After an independent scrutiny of the data, the Supreme Court concluded that there is an “absence of material on record to lead to the conclusion that the result of the exam is vitiated or that there is a systemic breach of the sanctity of the exam.”
- The court further stated that the “data on record is not indicative of a systemic leak of the question paper which would indicate a disruption of the sanctity of the exam.”
- The authorities will be able to differentiate between tainted students who were involved in the question paper leak and cheating, and untainted students who were not involved.
- If the investigation reveals a significant number of beneficiaries of the exam irregularities, then action will be taken against such students at any stage, even after the completion of the counseling process. No student found to have been involved in this fraud or benefited from it will be able to claim any vested right to continue their admission.
- The court recognizes that directing a fresh NEET-UG exam for the current year would have serious consequences. This would affect over 24 lakh students who appeared for the exam, disrupt the admission schedule, have cascading effects on medical education, impact the availability of qualified medical professionals in the future, and seriously disadvantage the marginalized groups for whom reservation was provided in the allocation of seats.
Based on these findings, the Supreme Court has ordered that there will be no re-examination of the NEET UG 2024 exam.
However, the court has also cautioned that if the ongoing investigation reveals an increased number of beneficiaries, action shall be taken against any such student at any stage, “notwithstanding the completion of the counseling process.”
The court has made it clear that no student who is found to have been involved in the fraud or benefited from it will be entitled to claim any vested right in the continuance of their admission.
This ruling provides much-needed certainty and finality to the dispute, which has significant implications for the careers of over 2 million students who appeared for the NEET UG 2024 exam.
Background
The National Eligibility Entrance Test for Undergraduate (NEET-UG) exam this year faced allegations of widespread question paper leaks and cheating incidents. Both the Central government and the National Testing Agency (NTA), which conducted the exam, argued against cancelling the NEET 2024 exam.
During a court hearing on Monday, the Supreme Court directed the Central Government and the NTA to provide details about the use of question paper sets stored at Canara Bank branches. While one set of question papers was stored at State Bank of India (SBI) branches, another set was kept at Canara Bank as a backup in case of any discrepancy or leak of the SBI question paper set.
However, it was revealed that the Canara Bank question paper set was apparently used in certain exam centers, despite being intended as a backup. The Supreme Court has now asked the NTA to furnish more details on this aspect.
During a recent hearing, the Supreme Court directed the Central government and NTA to provide details regarding the use of question papers stored at Canara Bank branches. These were backup papers in case of discrepancies or leaks from the primary set stored at State Bank of India (SBI) branches. However, the Canara Bank papers were reportedly used at certain centers, prompting the Court to seek further details from the NTA.
Today’s Hearing
In today’s hearing, the Chief Justice of India (CJI) noted that IIT Delhi had formed an expert committee to review question no. 19 of NEET. The committee confirmed that option 4 was correct, which aligned with the NTA’s answer key.
Solicitor General (SG) Tushar Mehta, representing the NTA, argued that the
Alleged leak did not have a nationwide impact. He highlighted that the top 100 students were spread across 95 centers in 56 cities and 18 states/UTs. He also compared figures from previous years to demonstrate that the leak was limited and emphasized the success rates in various regions, showing no significant anomalies.
The SG explained that certain cities like
Kota are known for their competitive exam coaching centers. He noted that students in these hubs are not necessarily local but are sent by their parents for better preparation. He also defended the reopening of the registration window and the option for students to change their exam city, explaining that it did not indicate any wrongdoing.
When questioned about the distribution of the Canara Bank question papers, the SG admitted
A human error in authorizing their use. He stated that the process of handing over papers was recorded on CCTV. The SG described a localized leak involving specific incidents, such as burnt question papers and memorized answers by solvers, but insisted that there was no widespread distribution.
The Court inquired about the possibility of leaked papers being transmitted via WhatsApp.
The NTA counsel responded that
there was no conclusive forensic evidence to prove broader dissemination. The SG reiterated that the data indicated a limited leak, confined to specific areas.
Regarding a Telegram video presented by the petitioners,
SG argued that its timestamp was doctored. The investigation suggested a localized irregularity, which the SG contended did not warrant a judicial review of the entire examination process.
The CJI concluded that
There was a leak originating in Hazaribagh, Jharkhand, with WhatsApp messages sent to Patna. However, there was no forensic data to show the full extent of the message distribution. The SG emphasized that the evidence pointed to a limited leak rather than a widespread one, underscoring that the issue did not merit canceling the NEET-UG 2024 examination.
