Supreme Court's Verdict On NEET-UG 2024 Exam: Detailed Judgment Expected Today

The Supreme Court of India is set to deliver its detailed judgment today on the petitions seeking the cancellation and re-test of the NEET-UG 2024 exam. This comes after an interim verdict last month, where the court dismissed the pleas for a re-test of the NEET-UG 2024, which was mired in controversy due to allegations of paper leaks.

Interim Verdict Background

A bench comprising Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, Justice J.B. Pardiwala, and Justice Manoj Misra will provide comprehensive reasons for their earlier decision. The interim judgement addressed a batch of petitions demanding a re-test to maintain the integrity of the exam, which is crucial for admissions to courses like MBBS, BDS, and AYUSH.

NEET-UG 2024 Controversy

The NEET-UG 2024, held on May 5, saw participation from over 23 lakh students. The examination faced significant controversy following reports of large-scale malpractices. Both the National Testing Agency (NTA) and the NDA government came under heavy criticism, with widespread protests occurring on the streets and in Parliament.

During the hearings, submissions were made by several prominent lawyers, including Solicitor General Tushar Mehta representing the Centre and the NTA, and senior advocates Narender Hooda, Sanjay Hegde, and Mathews Nedumpara representing the petitioners.

Recognising the urgency and the potential impact on millions of students, the Supreme Court chose to reconvene late in the evening to deliver its interim order. Chief Justice Chandrachud, in the interim judgement, indicated that the data provided by the NTA and others did not support claims of a systemic leak or widespread fraud significant enough to invalidate the exam results.

Distinction Between Students

While acknowledging confirmed leaks in Hazaribagh and Patna, the court emphasised the importance of a nuanced approach, distinguishing between students affected by malpractice and those who were not.

The bench noted that ordering a re-test could have severe repercussions, disrupting the admission schedule, affecting medical education, and disadvantaging marginalized groups who benefit from reservation policies. They concluded that, although malpractices occurred, they were not pervasive enough to warrant the cancellation of the entire exam.

Justification For Not Cancelling Exam

The court stated that the cancellation of the entire exam was not justified based on "settled principles propounded by this court on the basis of material on record."

Additionally, the court addressed a disputed physics question in the exam, accepting the expert report from IIT Delhi, which confirmed a single correct answer. The court instructed the NTA to re-tally the NEET UG results, recognising option 4 as the only correct answer to the questioned item.

CBI Charge Sheet

In parallel developments, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed its first charge sheet in the paper leak case, naming 13 individuals as accused. Those named include Nitish Kumar, Amit Anand, Sikander Yadvendu, Ashutosh Kumar-1, Roshan Kumar, Manish Prakash, Ashutosh Kumar-2, Akhilesh Kumar, Avdesh Kumar, Anurag Yadav, Abhishek Kumar, Shivnandan Kumar, and Ayush Raj.

A CBI spokesperson stated on Thursday, "CBI has utilized advanced forensic techniques, artificial intelligence technology, CCTV footage, tower location analysis, etc., to gather evidence against the accused."