No Retest for NEET UG 2024, Over 4 Lakh Candidates to Lose 5 Marks: SC

 

 

“No Proof of NEET UG 2024 Exam Sanctity Breach” - CJI

 

In a landmark decision, the Supreme Court of India dismissed petitions seeking a retest for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test Undergraduate NEET UG 2024, despite allegations of a paper leak in Hazaribag. The court ruled that there was insufficient evidence to prove that the leak had compromised the integrity or sanctity of the examination.

 

Supreme Court Verdict: No NEET UG 2024 Retest 

 

The verdict of no retest to be conducted was delivered on Tuesday, effectively ending the uncertainty that had clouded the future of over 2 million NEET UG 2024 aspirants. The Supreme Court, in its ruling, highlighted the potential chaos and disruption a retest could cause. The bench stated, "Directing a fresh test for the present year would have serious consequences, as more than 2 million students took the examination."

 

The petitioners argued that the paper leak violated the results, breached the exam's sanctity, and that Retesting was mandatory for some students. However, the court found no compelling evidence to support these claims.

 

NEET UG 2024 Retest - Impact on Medical Hopefuls

 

Approximately 4.2 lakh NEET UG 2024 students will lose five marks each due to a contentious physics question on atomic theory. Initially, these students had received four marks for selecting an incorrect option due to an error in the previous year's NCERT physics book. However, the IT-Delhi expert committee's report identified only one correct choice, leading to a deduction of four marks for the NEET UG 2024 question and an additional negative mark for the wrong answer. This will result in no retest for this academic year. 

 

New Merit List and Final Result Release

 

The education minister, Dharmendra Pradhan, announced that the National Testing Agency (NTA) would release a new merit list within the next two days. This NEET UG 2024 score recalibration is expected to cause a significant reshuffling of ranks but no retest. The merit list changes will profoundly impact the rankings of aspirants. 

For instance, one of the toppers, who initially secured a perfect 720 out of 720, will see her score drop to 715 due to the contentious physics question. The counsel argued that this drop in marks would significantly lower the rank, potentially jeopardizing students' chances of securing seats at Delhi's prestigious All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).

 

Addressing Fraud and Malpractices: No NEET Retest

 

The Supreme Court emphasized that any NEET UG 2024 students found to have benefited from fraudulent activities or malpractices would face severe consequences. The bench stated, "If the investigation reveals involvement of an increased number of beneficiaries (of question or paper leak), then action shall be pursued against those students who are found involved in wrongdoing at any stage, notwithstanding the completion of the NEET UG 2024 counselling process. No retest will be conducted, and students who have engaged in acts of fraud and are beneficiaries of malpractices would be entitled to claim vested right to admission in the future."

 

Localized NEET UG 2024 Paper Leak in Hazaribag & Patna

 

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta argued that the paper leak was a localized incident affecting many students in Hazaribag. The NEET UG 2024 test was conducted in 4,750 centers across the country on May 5, and there was no substantial evidence to suggest that the integrity of the examination was compromised on a larger scale. The Supreme Court accepted this argument, reinforcing the decision to dismiss the petitions for a retest.

 

 

While rejecting the demand for a NEET UG 2024 retest, the Supreme Court emphasized the far-reaching consequences of such a directive, given that over 2 million students took the examination. The court acknowledged the logistical and practical difficulties in retesting at this scale. Moreover, it recognized the stress and uncertainty a retest would impose on millions of students.

 

It stated that if further investigations reveal the involvement of more NEET UG 2024 students in the paper leak, stringent actions will be taken against those found guilty of malpractice. The court clarified that any student engaged in fraudulent activities would be disqualified from claiming a right to admission in the future, regardless of completing the NEET UG 2024 counselling process.

 

As the NTA prepares to release the revised merit list, the reshuffling of ranks will create a ripple effect across the NEET UG 2024 admissions process. The Supreme Court's decision not to conduct retest ends the uncertainty and reminds us of the challenges and complexities of conducting large-scale competitive examinations. The focus now shifts to ensuring that the revised NEET UG 2024 merit list is accurate and fair and that the NEET UG 2024 admissions process proceeds smoothly for all aspirants.

 

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Also Read IIT Delhi to Review NEET UG 2024 Physics Question: SC Orders Expert Panel