Union Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has pledged that no student appearing in the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) will be disadvantaged following the Centre's submission in the Supreme Court.
The Centre informed the court that the decision to grant grace marks to 1,563 NEET-UG 2024 candidates had been revoked, offering them the option to re-take the exam on June 23.
The declaration of NEET results on June 4 revealed that 67 students achieved a perfect score of 720, an unprecedented occurrence in the National Testing Agency (NTA) history. However, this led to suspicions of irregularities, mainly when six students from a centre in Haryana's Faridabad featured in the top ranks, sparking demands for a thorough investigation into the NTA's procedures.
Minister Pradhan refuted allegations against the NTA, asserting its credibility and dismissing corruption claims during a press conference. He highlighted that the issue under scrutiny in the Supreme Court pertains to only around 1,500 students out of the 24 lakh who took the exam, with the government prepared to address the court's queries. A committee of academicians has been formed to examine the matter further.
Addressing concerns about paper leaks, Pradhan assured us that the government would take action against those responsible. The NEET exam, conducted on May 5 across 4,750 centres, faced allegations ranging from question paper leaks to the controversial grant of grace marks to aspirants. These issues prompted protests and legal actions in seven high courts and the Supreme Court.
NTA, however, denied any irregularities, attributing the higher scores to changes in NCERT textbooks and the provision of grace marks for time lost at examination centres. As the controversy unfolds, Minister Pradhan's reassurance aims to maintain confidence in the fairness of the NEET examination process amidst ongoing scrutiny and debate.