NEET Row: Supreme Court Directs NTA To Plug Loopholes, Avoid Flip-Flops

The Supreme Court on Friday delivered its judgment, providing detailed reasons for not cancelling the NEET (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test)-UG medical entrance exam, despite controversies surrounding paper leak allegations and other irregularities.

The court said that there was no substantial evidence to suggest that the leak was widespread enough to compromise the entire exam's integrity.

However, the court did highlight significant lapses on the part of the National Testing Agency (NTA).

Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, leading a three-judge bench, remarked during the oral pronouncement, "We have said that the NTA must now avoid the flip flops which it has made in this case."

He added, "These flip-flops in the NTA do not serve the interest of the students."

The bench specifically questioned the NTA's decisions, including allowing candidates to change exam centers and reopening registrations.

The court also slammed the NTA's initial decision to award grace marks to 1,563 students who lost time due to being given the wrong question paper, only to later retract this decision and make those students undergo a re-test.

On August 1, the CBI filed its first charge sheet in the NEET exam paper leak case, naming 13 individuals as accused.

The charge sheet, which included allegations of involvement in the paper leak and other irregularities, marked a crucial step in the central probe agency's ongoing investigation.

The CBI has lodged six FIRs related to these alleged irregularities.