SC On NEET UG Row: Re-Test Only On 'Concrete Footing', Says CJI

The Supreme Court on Thursday stated that a re-test of the NEET-UG 2024 would only be possible if there is "concrete footing" that the integrity of the medical entrance test has been compromised on a large scale.

Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud made this observation as a bench, led by him, started hearing over 40 petitions related to alleged malpractices and irregularities in the NEET-UG examination.

The CJI addressed senior advocate Narendra Hooda, who represented the petitioners, highlighting the need for concrete evidence that the paper leak was widespread and systemic enough to justify canceling the entire examination.

The CJI noted that the court could not order a re-test merely because only 1 lakh out of 23 lakh candidates would gain admission. He stated that a re-test must be based on solid proof that the entire exam was affected, reported India Today.

"Merely because out of 23 lakh only 1 lakh will get admission, we cannot order a re-examination. Re-examination has to be on a concrete footing that the entire exam is affected," CJI DY Chandrachud said during the hearing.

The Supreme Court prioritised the NEET hearing over other cases, such as those involving Google versus the Competition Commission of India (CCI) and income tax returns, highlighting the "social ramifications" of the paper leak controversy.

Chandrachud pointed out that millions of students were awaiting a resolution in this matter, leading the bench to defer the other cases.

During the hearing, he asked Hooda about the total number of seats available in both government and private medical colleges across the country.

Hooda informed the bench that there were 1,08,000 seats and argued that in the event of a retest, only as many candidates would take the exam instead of the 23 lakhs who appeared earlier.