SC turns down NEET-UG exam cancellation demand, says not justified
New Delhi: The Supreme Court, in its Tuesday order, declined to conduct a retest for the NEET-UG examination, stating that there is no substantial evidence indicating a systemic breach of the exam’s integrity.
“Data on record is not indicative of a systemic leak of the question paper which would indicate a disruption of the sanctity of the exam,” noted the court.
A three-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and including Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, delivered the verdict after considering petitions filed by students alleging malpractices and irregularities in the exam.
“At the present stage, there is an absence of material on the record sufficient to lead to the conclusion that the result of the examination stands vitiated or that there is a systemic breach to the sanctity of the examination,” the court stated in its order.
“For the above reasons, we are of the considered view that ordering the cancellation of the entire NEET-UG 2024 exam is neither justified on application of settled principles propounded by the decisions of this court nor on the basis of material on record,” the court declared.
The Chief Justice, while reading out the order, noted that directing a fresh NEET-UG for the current year would have serious repercussions for over 24 lakh students who took the exam.
“The disruption of the admission schedule, cascading effects on the course of medical education, impact on the availability of qualified medical professionals in the future, and significant disadvantages for marginalized groups for whom reservation was made in the allocation of seats,” the court explained.
The court acknowledged the fact that the NEET-UG 2024 question paper leak, which occurred in Hazaribagh and Patna, is undisputed.
The NTA and the Union education ministry have been at the center of a significant political controversy and student protests over alleged large-scale malpractices, including question paper leaks and impersonation in the test held on May 5.
The National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test-Undergraduate (NEET-UG), conducted by the NTA, is essential for admissions to MBBS, BDS, AYUSH, and related courses in government and private institutions across India.
