SC on NEET-UG 2024 leak: No systemic breach, leak limited to Patna, Hazaribagh

The Supreme Court negated any claims of a "systemic breach" in the NEET-UG 2024 exam. The top court further clarified that any irregularities were confined only to the cities of Patna and Hazaribagh. The court also issued a stern warning to the National Testing Agency (NTA), urging it to rectify existing "loopholes" in the examination process.

The court's remarks came amid ongoing hearings concerning alleged irregularities in the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), a crucial examination for aspiring medical students in India. Conducted on May 5, the NEET-UG exam has been at the centre of controversy since its results were declared on June 4. 

Petitions filed with the Supreme Court have raised concerns about the integrity of the examination, particularly after an unprecedented surge in the number of toppers—67 students were initially reported as achieving the highest marks in the results announced on June 4. The topper numbers were later revised to 61 after the NTA released the revised results.

However, after the apex court's involvement in the marking, the new revised merit list now acknowledges only 17 toppers.

Last week, the apex court declined to mandate a retest for the NEET-UG exam, emphasising that no evidence of a widespread compromise in the examination's integrity had been substantiated.

Meanwhile, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has launched its own inquiry into the matter, resulting in multiple arrests tied to the alleged paper leak. Today, the agency filed its first charge sheet concerning the case, implicating 13 individuals. Investigations have revealed the existence of an interstate gang believed to have leaked the exam paper just a day before the exam, reportedly for substantial financial gain.

As the controversy unfolds, it has ignited a political battle, with the ruling Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) and opposition parties clashing over accountability. Critics have intensified calls for the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

In addition, three states—Karnataka, West Bengal, and Tamil Nadu—have passed resolutions in their assemblies urging the central government to abolish the NEET exam and allow states to administer their own entrance assessments, further complicating the discussion surrounding medical education in India.