The Supreme Court has announced that it will hear pleas related to the NEET-UG 2024 medical entrance exam controversy on July 18. Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud’s bench noted that the Centre and the National Testing Agency (NTA), responsible for conducting the exam, have submitted their affidavits in compliance with the court’s order issued on July 8.
The controversy surrounding the NEET-UG 2024 exam revolves around allegations of paper leaks, tampering of OMR sheets, impersonation, and cheating. Petitioners argue that these irregularities compromised the fairness of the exam and may have disadvantaged numerous deserving students.
In response, the Central government has maintained that there is no concrete evidence supporting widespread malpractices. The NTA, in its affidavit submitted to the court, asserted that the distribution of marks across the exam reflects a normal pattern, indicating no external interference. The NTA has also outlined detailed security protocols for the printing, transportation, and distribution of question papers to ensure confidentiality.
However, the Supreme Court has expressed concerns about potential breaches in the sanctity of the exam. During an earlier hearing on July 8th, the court acknowledged the gravity of the allegations and emphasized the need for a thorough investigation. Consequently, the Ministry of Education has requested the Director of IIT Madras to conduct a comprehensive data analysis of the NEET-UG 2024 results. The findings from this analysis are expected to be presented during the upcoming hearing.
