NEET-UG 2024: 'Paper leak accused won't be spared; panel formed to improve NTA,' says Dharmendra Pradhan
Many medical aspirants have been demanding for a retest of the NEET-UG 2024 examination which has been hit by charges of irregularities, paper leaks, and a steep rise in the merit list due to the testing agency's decision to award grace marks to some students.
- Jun 20, 2024,
- Updated Jun 20, 2024 8:27 PM IST
Amid massive outrage over alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG 2024 examinations, Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Thursday said the Centre was committed to the welfare of students and no paper leak accused will be spared. He said the central government is getting information about the paper leaks from Bihar. The minister also informed that a committee has been set up to improve the functioning of the National Testing Agency (NTA).
"In the context of the NEET exam, we are in touch with the Bihar government. We are receiving some information from Patna. The police are investigating and a detailed report will be submitted by them. Following credible information, strict action will be taken against the guilty," he said during a press conference.
Many medical aspirants have been demanding for a retest of the NEET examination which has been hit by charges of irregularities, paper leaks, and a steep rise in the merit list due to the testing agency's decision to award grace marks to some students. Even as the agency cancelled the grace marks after an uproar, the move did little to assuage candidates' concerns.
Student bodies and youth wings of many political parties have been holding protests countrywide to flag their concerns over the alleged irregularities in the prestigious exam that saw 67 students score a perfect 720, unprecedented in the NTA's history.
The reports of paper leaks further intensified their concerns. Many demanded a thorough inquiry into the allegations of the paper leak and revaluation of marks of each student or a universal retest.
The examination was held on May 5 across 4,750 centres and around 24 lakh candidates took the test. The results were expected to be declared on June 14 but were announced on June 4. The controversy began after some students noticed higher marks for some applicants.
As many as 67 students scored 720, with six candidates from a centre in Haryana's Faridabad figuring in the list, raising suspicions about irregularities. Later, it emerged that 1,563 students were awarded grace marks.
After massive outrage, the testing agency cancelled the grace marks to 1,563 candidates and said these students, who were given grace marks, would be given the option to take a re-test on June 23.
In Bihar, the probe agency has arrested 13 people including aspirants. The arrested candidates have confessed that they got the paper even before the examinations. Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha claimed that the arrested prime accused in the "paper leak" is linked to officials associated with Tejashwi Yadav.
Earlier today, the Supreme Court (SC) sought responses from the Centre, the NTA, and others on a slew of petitions, including those seeking scrapping of the NEET-UG 2024 exam and a court-monitored probe.
The top court also stayed further proceedings on similar pleas pending before different high courts. The apex court, however, made it clear that it would not stay the counselling process. A vacation bench of Justices Vikram Nath and SVN Bhatti issued notices to the parties seeking their responses on four separate pleas filed by the NTA seeking the transfer of some pending petitions, including those claiming paper leak, from high courts to the apex court.
The NTA conducts NEET-UG examinations for admissions to MBBS, BDS, AYUSH, and other related courses in government and private institutions across the country.
Amid massive outrage over alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG 2024 examinations, Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Thursday said the Centre was committed to the welfare of students and no paper leak accused will be spared. He said the central government is getting information about the paper leaks from Bihar. The minister also informed that a committee has been set up to improve the functioning of the National Testing Agency (NTA).
"In the context of the NEET exam, we are in touch with the Bihar government. We are receiving some information from Patna. The police are investigating and a detailed report will be submitted by them. Following credible information, strict action will be taken against the guilty," he said during a press conference.
Many medical aspirants have been demanding for a retest of the NEET examination which has been hit by charges of irregularities, paper leaks, and a steep rise in the merit list due to the testing agency's decision to award grace marks to some students. Even as the agency cancelled the grace marks after an uproar, the move did little to assuage candidates' concerns.
Student bodies and youth wings of many political parties have been holding protests countrywide to flag their concerns over the alleged irregularities in the prestigious exam that saw 67 students score a perfect 720, unprecedented in the NTA's history.
The reports of paper leaks further intensified their concerns. Many demanded a thorough inquiry into the allegations of the paper leak and revaluation of marks of each student or a universal retest.
The examination was held on May 5 across 4,750 centres and around 24 lakh candidates took the test. The results were expected to be declared on June 14 but were announced on June 4. The controversy began after some students noticed higher marks for some applicants.
As many as 67 students scored 720, with six candidates from a centre in Haryana's Faridabad figuring in the list, raising suspicions about irregularities. Later, it emerged that 1,563 students were awarded grace marks.
After massive outrage, the testing agency cancelled the grace marks to 1,563 candidates and said these students, who were given grace marks, would be given the option to take a re-test on June 23.
In Bihar, the probe agency has arrested 13 people including aspirants. The arrested candidates have confessed that they got the paper even before the examinations. Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha claimed that the arrested prime accused in the "paper leak" is linked to officials associated with Tejashwi Yadav.
Earlier today, the Supreme Court (SC) sought responses from the Centre, the NTA, and others on a slew of petitions, including those seeking scrapping of the NEET-UG 2024 exam and a court-monitored probe.
The top court also stayed further proceedings on similar pleas pending before different high courts. The apex court, however, made it clear that it would not stay the counselling process. A vacation bench of Justices Vikram Nath and SVN Bhatti issued notices to the parties seeking their responses on four separate pleas filed by the NTA seeking the transfer of some pending petitions, including those claiming paper leak, from high courts to the apex court.
The NTA conducts NEET-UG examinations for admissions to MBBS, BDS, AYUSH, and other related courses in government and private institutions across the country.