NEET-UG 2024 not cancelled: SC orders no retest on grounds that leak was 'not systemic'

NEET-UG 2024 not cancelled: The Supreme Court has ordered not to cancel exam concluding that the leak has not affected the sanctity of the entire examination.

The CJI said, "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 SC also said that the cancellation or re-test of NEET-UG exam is not justified. the CJI said, "Court realises that directing a fresh NEET UG for the present year would be replete with serious consequences which will be for over 24 lakh students who appeared in this exam.. and cause disruption of admission schedule, cascading effects on the course of medical education, impact on availability of qualified medical professionals in the future and seriously disadvantageous for the marginalised group for whom reservation was made in allocation of seats."

The top court added that it had independently researched the data which was submitted by the NTA and due to an absence of material on the record sufficient to lead to the conclusion, the court ordered not to cancel the exam. 

The SC's decision comes after it heard the NTA's side of the argument today. The top court had finished hearing all the pleas in favour of cancelling the examination on Monday, July 22. 

With the medical entrance exam's counselling process scheduled to start Wednesday, July 24, today’s ruling was viewed as critical. 

At the July 18 hearing, Chief Justice Chandrachud expressed concerns about the rising number of top scorers, citing statistics provided by Advocate Hooda. In 2022, approximately 17.5 lakh candidates participated, increasing to 20.5 lakh in 2023 and rising to 23.33 lakh in 2024. Hooda highlighted the five-fold increase in candidates scoring between 550 and 720, labeling it a “red flag.”

Regarding findings from IIT Madras, the government reported that a thorough technical evaluation of NEET-UG 2024 data revealed “no indication of mass malpractice.” They clarified that no local candidates benefited from abnormal scores, assuring that 23 lakh students should not be burdened with a retest based on unsubstantiated claims.

During the July 18 session, the Chief Justice noted a significant nine-day interval between the printing and dispatch of the question papers, which were sent to various banks for distribution.

 The Supreme Court reiterated that any decision to conduct a retest must be firmly grounded in evidence showing that the exam's integrity was compromised on a large scale. Chief Justice Chandrachud emphasised that a re-examination would only be warranted if the exam's validity was significantly undermined.

As the hearing progresses, the Supreme Court remains focused on ensuring a fair resolution for the large number of students eagerly awaiting the outcome.