The Supreme Court directed the Director of IIT Delhi to convene a team of specialists to analyze an exam question by Tuesday afternoon, following a challenge by students against the National Testing Agency’s (NTA) decision to award marks for two possible answers. This development occurred amidst the ongoing hearing on alleged malpractices and paper leaks during the NEET-UG 2024 medical entrance exam, where the court assessed evidence of a breached confidentiality.
A recent analysis of the results unveiled by the NTA indicated that candidates allegedly benefitting from paper leaks and other irregularities did not perform well. Although some centres evidenced concentrated successful students, the statistics were released in a cumulative format dropped down in a menu for each location, covering over 32 lakh candidates from 4,750 centres. The court directed the NTA to mask aspirants’ identities while releasing centre and city-wise results by July 20, seeking to discern whether allegedly tainted centres retain a statistical advantage.
Furthermore, the counsel for NEET-UG aspirants alleged that the NTA admitted to a paper leak and dissemination of the “leaked question paper” on WhatsApp. Despite such claims, the Centre and the NTA maintained their stand for not scrapping the exam due to a lack of proof of large-scale integrity breach. NEET-UG is a crucial entry exam conducted by the NTA for admissions to MBBS, BDS, AYUSH, and allied programs in state and private educational institutions nationwide.
As lakhs of aspirants await the final verdict on the examination’s fate, the apex court’s directive to form a team of experts and investigate discrepancies highlights the severity of the matter. It underscores the need for a fair, transparent, and secure examination and establishes the role of the judiciary to uphold justice in the face of adverse circumstances. The students, whose futures lie on the outcome of the exam, anticipate a favourable resolution and impartial verification of the assessment’s integrity.
Supreme Court Intervenes in NEET-UG Exam Controversy
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