Supreme Court to Hear Batch of Pleas Related to Controversy-Ridden NEET-UG 2024 Exam

Exam Irregularities and Calls for Re-Test

The Supreme Court is set to hear a batch of pleas related to the controversy-ridden medical entrance exam NEET-UG 2024 on Monday, July 8. The court will consider over three dozen petitions, including those alleging paper leakage and other malpractices in the May 5 test and seeking a direction to conduct it afresh.

A bench comprising Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud, along with Justices J.B. Pardiwala and Manoj Misra , will hear the petitions. Notably, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has already started its investigation into the allegations and made some arrests in the matter after taking over the probe on June 23.

Centre and NTA's Stance

Recently, the Centre and the National Testing Agency (NTA), which conducts the NEET-UG exam, filed affidavits in the Supreme Court contesting that scrapping the NEET-UG 2024 exam would be "counterproductive" and "seriously jeopardise" lakhs of honest candidates.

The Union Ministry of Education argued that in the absence of any proof of large-scale breach of confidentiality, it would not be rational to scrap the entire examination and the results already declared. The NTA also reiterated that the exam was carried out fairly and with due confidentiality, and the claim of "mass malpractice" is "completely unfounded, misleading, and lacks any basis."

Postponement of NEET-UG Counselling

The counselling process for NEET-UG 2024 has been postponed indefinitely, as the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) has not yet notified the counselling schedule. This development comes after the Supreme Court rejected a plea to delay the NEET-UG counselling as scheduled on July 6.

Calls for Exam Reforms

The controversy surrounding the NEET-UG 2024 exam has also sparked discussions on the need for reforms in the examination process. Vidya Bharati , an RSS affiliate, has suggested that the solution to prevent such exam leaks lies in changing the pattern of tests to focus more on "competence level than rote learning."

The government has also constituted a high-level committee of experts to suggest effective measures for conducting transparent, smooth, and fair examinations by the NTA. The panel is expected to make recommendations on reforms in the examination process, improvement in data security protocols, and the functioning of the National Testing Agency.

As the Supreme Court prepares to hear the batch of pleas, the outcome of the proceedings will have a significant impact on the future of the NEET-UG 2024 exam and the medical aspirants who have been affected by the controversy.