NEET-UG 2024: Centre Submits Affidavit In Paper Leak Case, SC To Decide On Re-Test

The Supreme Court will hear multiple petitions concerning alleged paper leaks and irregularities in the NEET-UG 2024 on Thursday.

This comes a day after the Union government submitted a new affidavit opposing a re-test.

The affidavit included a report from IIT-Madras, which dismissed claims of widespread malpractices or unfair advantages at certain centres.

Photo Credit: PTI

Over 40 petitions are scheduled for hearing in the Supreme Court. During the last hearing, Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud led a three-judge bench that reviewed several pleas and set the next hearing for July 11.

The NEET-UG, conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA), is an entrance exam for courses like MBBS, BDS, and AYUSH in various institutions across India. The exam held on May 5 faced controversies over paper leaks and some students receiving grace marks.

Supreme Court's Directives

On July 8, the Supreme Court ordered the NTA to disclose details about when and how the question paper leak occurred.

The court also asked for affidavits from the central government detailing their actions and requested a status report from the CBI regarding the NEET-UG examination. The court acknowledged that there was a compromise in the exam's integrity, reported Hindustan Times.

"The fact that the sanctity of exam has been compromised is beyond doubt. It is an admitted fact that there is a leak, and the nature of the leak is something that we are determining. If it is not extensive, then there is no cancellation. But before we order a retest, we must be conscious of the extent of the leak as we are dealing with 23 lakh students," stated the three-judge bench.

Centre's and NTA's Affidavits

The Centre's affidavit submitted on Wednesday claimed no evidence of "mass malpractice" or localised benefits leading to abnormal scores in NEET-UG 2024. It cited data analytics by IIT-Madras showing that marks distribution followed a "bell-shaped curve," typical for large-scale exams, indicating no abnormalities.

The NTA also filed an affidavit stating that only 47 candidates were suspected of involvement in paper leaks and irregularities related to OMR sheets.

They are considering switching from OMR (pen and paper) to online tests for future exams. The NTA plans to rely on IIT-Madras' report during Thursday's proceedings.

Arrests Related to NEET-UG Irregularities

The CBI arrested two more individuals from Patna on Tuesday in connection with the alleged paper leak case. Sunny Kumar, a NEET-UG candidate from Nalanda, and Ranjit Kumar, another candidate's father from Gaya, were taken into custody. So far, eight people have been arrested from Bihar and Jharkhand.

The Union government's affidavit also outlined measures taken to ensure exam integrity and address any malpractices. Meanwhile, NEET aspirants continue to protest against these alleged irregularities.

The Supreme Court's upcoming hearing will be crucial in determining whether there will be any changes or retests for NEET-UG 2024 due to these allegations.