News Mania Desk/Agnibeena Ghosh/22nd July 2024
The Supreme Court commenced hearings on Monday concerning a slew of petitions regarding the contentious NEET-UG 2024 medical entrance examination. A counsel representing NEET-UG aspirants apprised the court that the National Testing Agency (NTA), which oversees the exam, has confirmed a paper leak, with the leaked questions circulating via WhatsApp.
The bench, which includes Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, initially sought details about the centre-wise and city-wise results of the exam. The hearing is currently ongoing, reflecting the complexity and urgency of the issue.
On Saturday, the NTA disclosed an analysis of the exam results. This analysis suggested that those who might have benefited from the paper leak and other irregularities did not perform exceptionally well. However, it noted that some centres had an unusually high number of top-scoring students. The extensive data for over 23 lakh candidates across 4,750 centres was released in a drop-down menu format for each centre. This release followed the Supreme Court’s directive amidst the hearings on the alleged irregularities, with many aspirants anxiously awaiting the exam’s final outcome.
Particularly scrutinized centres included Oasis School in Hazaribagh, Jharkhand, Hardayal Public School in Jhajjar, Haryana, and Jay Jalaram International School in Godhra, Gujarat. Candidates from these centres performed notably poorly, which raised further questions about the integrity of the examination process. On July 18, the bench instructed the NTA to release the centre and city-wise results by noon on July 20, while ensuring the identities of the candidates remained concealed.
The bench’s objective is to ascertain whether the scores of candidates from the suspect centres were disproportionately higher compared to those from other centres. This step is crucial in addressing the concerns about fairness and transparency in the examination process. Currently, the bench is evaluating over 40 petitions, including those filed by the NTA, seeking to transfer cases pending in various high courts related to the alleged irregularities.
The issue of paper leaks in competitive exams like NEET-UG is a significant concern, affecting the aspirations and careers of millions of students. The Supreme Court’s involvement underscores the gravity of the situation and the need for a thorough investigation to ensure the credibility of the examination process.
The NTA’s acknowledgment of the paper leak via WhatsApp has brought to light the vulnerabilities in the examination system. This incident not only questions the effectiveness of the NTA’s security measures but also highlights the broader implications for the integrity of national-level entrance exams. The court’s directive to release detailed centre-wise and city-wise results aims to shed light on the extent of the irregularities and ensure that the examination process is transparent and fair.
As the Supreme Court continues its hearings, the outcome of this case will be crucial in determining the future of the NEET-UG 2024 examination and the credibility of the NTA. The court’s decisions will likely have far-reaching implications for the conduct of competitive exams in India, aiming to restore faith in the system and protect the interests of the aspirants.
