The scorecards of 1,563 NEET-UG 2024 candidates seeking admission to medical colleges will be annulled after they were awarded grace marks for a disputed question, the Centre informed the Supreme Court today. These candidates are offered a re-test on June 23, with results to be announced on June 30.
The government’s decision follows allegations of significant irregularities and unfair marking in the nationwide medical entrance exams, including claims of incorrect question papers, damaged OMR sheets, and delays in distributing these sheets. A committee convened on June 10, 11, and 12 to investigate the allegations, recommending the cancellation of the affected candidates’ scorecards and the scheduling of a re-examination.
There should be CBI investigation into NEET scam and also in the interest of students and public there should be a reexamination of NEET. #NEET_परीक्षा_परिणाम #NEET #Neet_paper_रद_करो
— Vinay Kumar G B (@vinaygb) June 8, 2024
NEET-UG 2024 Grace Marks Controversy
If these candidates choose not to take the re-test, their original scores, minus the grace marks, will be considered final. The Supreme Court emphasized that the counselling process for NEET-UG 2024 will proceed as scheduled without interruption. The counselling for admissions into MBBS, BDS, and other courses will commence on July 6.
Approximately 24 lakh aspirants took the NEET-UG 2024, conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) on May 5. The results, initially expected on June 14, were released early on June 4. However, allegations of a question paper leak and the awarding of grace marks to over 1,500 candidates led to protests and legal actions in several High Courts and the Supreme Court.
On June 10, scores of students protested in Delhi, demanding an inquiry and questioning the rationale behind the grace marks that resulted in 67 students achieving perfect scores of 720 out of 720, with many from the same coaching centre.
Legal Proceedings and Court Directives
Petitioners from Telangana and Andhra Pradesh argued there was “no defined logic” for the grace marks, citing “statistically impossible” perfect scores. The petitions highlighted the dangers of cheating in a medical examination, stressing that it could lead to incompetence and endanger patients’ lives.
In response to these petitions, the Supreme Court issued a notice to the Centre and NTA, stating that the sanctity of the examination was compromised and required answers. The Centre reiterated that a committee was established to review the results of the 1,563 candidates who received grace marks, leading to the decision to invalidate their scorecards and offer a re-test.
The Supreme Court has scheduled all petitions, including those seeking the cancellation of NEET-UG 2024 due to the allegations, for hearing on July 8.
Also Read: Challenges and Controversies Surrounding NEET 2024: Calls for Transparency and Fairness | Opinion
