NEET UG 2024: 3 IIT-Delhi professors have time till noon to solve a question that decides fate of over 4 lakh candidates

The Supreme Court has tasked IIT-Delhi with resolving a contentious question in the NEET-UG 2024 Physics exam. The court directed IIT-Delhi’s director to appoint three top professors to solve the issue within 24 hours, a decision that could impact the scores of over four lakh candidates, including 44 students who achieved perfect scores.

The Supreme Court's directive came after a marathon hearing on petitions demanding a re-examination due to allegations of question paper leaks and irregularities. These issues have cast a shadow over the future of more than 23 lakh students who took the exam on May 5.

The contentious NEET question revolves around two statements about atoms:

Atoms are electrically neutral as they contain an equal number of positive and negative charges.
Atoms of each element are stable and emit their characteristic spectrum.

Students were given four options to choose the correct combination of these statements. Over 4.20 lakh students selected an answer based on an older NCERT textbook edition, while 9.28 lakh students chose an answer aligned with the latest NCERT edition. Petitioners argued that the National Testing Agency (NTA) cannot mark both answers as correct, given that NEET instructions specify adhering to the latest NCERT edition. This discrepancy led the NTA to grant grace marks, resulting in 44 perfect scores.

Chief Justice Chandrachud pointed out that by awarding marks for the second option, the NTA contradicted its own rule, potentially disadvantaging 4.20 lakh students. Solicitor-General Tushar Mehta defended the NTA's decision, suggesting that many students might have used older textbooks borrowed from siblings.

To resolve the issue, the Supreme Court has sought an expert opinion from IIT-Delhi. The court requested the Director to form a team of three subject matter experts to determine the correct answer and report back by noon on July 23, 2024.

During the hearing, the Bench questioned the petitioners, represented by senior advocates Narendar Hooda, Sanjay Hegde, and Charu Mathur, about evidence of widespread question paper leaks. The court distinguished between isolated incidents of paper leaks and systemic flaws within the NEET process that undermine the exam's credibility.

The Bench also addressed concerns about candidates traveling to distant states, such as from Godhra in Gujarat to Belgaum in Karnataka, to take the exam. Chief Justice Chandrachud suggested that students often choose exam centers based on perceived leniency in marking, questioning if such choices justify canceling the entire exam.

The NTA faced scrutiny over the distribution of incorrect question papers at eight centers, including Jhajjar, and the subsequent award of grace marks to affected students. The Supreme Court's intervention aims to bring clarity and fairness to the evaluation process, ensuring justice for all NEET-UG candidates.