NEET 2024 paper leak case: SC maintains 'no retest' judgment; says NTA, Centre should avoid flip flops, rectify errors in future

The Supreme Court on Friday rapped the National Testing Agency (NTA) and the Centre while hearing a bunch of petitions demanding the NEET-UG 2024 test. The court also maintained that there was no material to show the leak was widespread, affecting the sanctity of the exam. 

The bench said that there was no systemic breach of NEET-UG 2024 papers and the leak was only limited to Patna and Hazaribagh. The apex court also highlighted the lapses made by the NTA.

The top court bench, headed by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, directed the NTA and the Centre to avoid flip flops and rectify errors in future. "We have said that the NTA must now avoid flip flops which it has made in this case," CJI Chandrachud was quoted as saying by India Today.

"These flip flops in the NTA do not serve the interest of the students," the CJI added. CJI Chandrachud also questioned the exam body for allowing candidates to change exam centres and for opening a "rear door" to allow new registrations. 

Moreover, the top court also asked the panel led by ex-ISRO chief K Radhakrishnan to file a report by September 30 on rectifying any deficiencies in the examination system.

The court also said that the committee constituted by the Centre should consider framing SOP for technological advancements to identify the potential flaws in the security of the examination system, processes for enhanced identity checks, and CCTV monitoring of exam centres. 

The bench also flagged the NTA's decision to award grace marks to 1,563 candidates to compensate for the loss of time they suffered as they were given the wrong question paper. This decision was, however, later retracted and those students had to appear for a re-test. 

The top court's verdict came a day after the CBI filed its first chargesheet in the alleged NEET exam paper leak case, naming 13 people as accused. The chargesheet said the accused were involved in the paper leak and other irregularities. The CBI has lodged 6 FIRs in the case.