NEET-UG 2024 Exam: Candidate Challenges Legality Of Providing Two Correct Options In SC Plea

The Supreme Court issued a notice in response to a plea alleging that one of the questions in the NEET-UG 2024 exam, conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) on May 5, was ambiguous due to having two correct options, on Thursday.

The plea, filed by a NEET-UG candidate through his mother, challenges the validity of this question, which reportedly caused confusion between the instructions in the exam booklet and the answer key published by the NTA on May 30, 2024.

Candidate Challenges Legality Of Providing Two Correct Options

According to the petitioner, Question No. 19 in Test Booklet Code S3 was identified as having two correct answers (options 2 and 4), despite the exam booklet explicitly stating that each question should have only one correct option. Consequently, to avoid the risk of negative marking, the petitioner chose not to attempt Question No. 19, opting to forgo potential marks rather than risk losing them due to ambiguity.

The petitioner further asserted that the NTA's answer key recognized both options 2 and 4 as correct, thus providing an unfair advantage to candidates who either guessed the answer or arbitrarily selected one of the options. This discrepancy, as per the petitioner, violated the instructions provided in the exam booklet and unfairly penalized candidates who meticulously followed the stated guidelines.

Alleging arbitrary conduct and a violation of fundamental rights under Articles 14 (Right to Equality), 15 (Prohibition of Discrimination), and 19(1)(a) (Right to Freedom of Speech and Expression) of the Indian Constitution, the petitioner sought corrective measures.

Specifically, the petitioner demanded that the NTA correct and re-publish the NEET (UG) 2024 results, ranks, and percentiles based on revised marks that account for the disputed question. During the court proceedings, the petitioner's counsel urged for an expedited hearing before the commencement of counseling sessions.

However, the court scheduled the matter for July 8, 2024, emphasizing that any decisions on admissions would be contingent upon the resolution of these petitions. The court underscored the importance of addressing alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG 2024 examination, acknowledging the significant efforts candidates invest in preparing for this prestigious exam.

In summary, the Supreme Court is currently reviewing multiple petitions challenging various aspects of the NEET-UG 2024 examination, including allegations of question ambiguity, paper leaks, and discrepancies in the award of grace marks. The court's proactive stance reflects its commitment to ensuring fairness and transparency in the conduct of national-level entrance examinations like NEET-UG.