The Supreme Court has dismissed a review petition regarding alleged anomalies in the NEET-UG 2024 examination, concluding that significant issues were not overlooked in the previous ruling. While no retest will occur, the court acknowledged potential flaws in the current testing system and directed the formation of a committee to reform the National Testing Agency, aiming for enhanced transparency and efficiency in future examinations.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court has dismissed the review petition filed on August 11, seeking a fresh hearing on alleged anomalies in the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test for Undergraduate (NEET-UG) 2024. The petition, “Kajal Kumari versus Union of India,” aimed to address issues the petitioners claimed were overlooked in the original hearing by Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra. This decision marks a significant closure in the ongoing debate surrounding the NEET-UG examination for this academic year.
The review petition, dismissed on Monday, November 4, emphasized that critical evidence was missing from the initial hearing. It argued that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) report, submitted during the hearing, was not adequately considered by the bench. However, review petitions, as in-chamber proceedings, are typically not open to public access, which limits transparency for those directly affected by the exam.
According to legal protocol, a review petition can only be considered under two main conditions: if new, previously unavailable evidence surfaces, or if important points were overlooked during the hearing. Despite the petition’s claims, the bench concluded in its original ruling that no significant abnormalities were found in the NEET-UG 2024 exam, conducted on May 5 across India and abroad.
While the Supreme Court upheld its prior judgment against a retest, it acknowledged potential issues with the current system. The bench directed that a structural reform of the National Testing Agency (NTA), responsible for NEET-UG and other exams, is “an imminent requirement.” In response, an order was passed to form a committee to review and improve the functioning of the NTA to ensure smoother and more reliable examination processes in the future.
This ruling highlights the balance between addressing student concerns and maintaining the integrity of the testing process. Although no retest will be conducted, the directive for an NTA reform committee suggests that the Supreme Court recognizes the need for changes in the examination system to enhance transparency, efficiency, and fairness.
As the chapter closes on this year’s NEET-UG examination, the focus now shifts to the upcoming review of the NTA, a development many hope will lead to positive changes in India’s competitive exam landscape.
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