The Supreme Court addressed a series of petitions challenging the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test – Undergraduate (NEET-UG) 2024 on Tuesday, concluding that a retest was not warranted. Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud highlighted the absence of evidence indicating that the exam’s integrity was compromised or that there was a systemic breach affecting the results.
Key Points from the Verdict:
- No Retest Justified: The Court found no substantial evidence to support claims that the entire exam was flawed or that a systemic breach had occurred. CJI Chandrachud emphasized that cancelling the exam would be unjustified based on the existing evidence and could severely impact over 24 lakh students who took the test.
- Paper Leak Acknowledged: While acknowledging that there were leaks in Hazaribagh and Patna, the Court determined that these incidents did not suggest a broader systemic issue affecting the sanctity of the exam.
- Recalculation of Results: The Court directed the National Testing Agency (NTA) to recalculate the results based on the correct answer to the disputed Physics question. According to the IIT Delhi report, option 4 is the only correct answer for the contested question, and the NTA has been instructed to adjust the scores accordingly.
- Committee Formation: The Union Government has established a committee, chaired by a former ISRO chairman, to oversee the implementation of the Court’s directives and to ensure adherence to its final judgment.
- Future Safeguards: The Court has also directed the strengthening of the NTA to prevent similar issues in the future and maintain the exam’s integrity.
The Supreme Court’s decision aims to address the immediate concerns related to the NEET-UG 2024 while ensuring that the exam process is improved to prevent future irregularities. The recalculation of results is expected to rectify the discrepancies for affected students.
