Once upon a time, topping an exam was meant to be a celebration all around. But today, things aren't so simple, especially with NEET UG 2024. Not one or two, but 67 candidates have topped this exam. Not only that, 44 of them became toppers because they were given grace marks for giving wrong answers.
NEET-UG, the key to medical, dental, AYUSH, and BSc Nursing colleges, has become a hub of protests. Why? Because of alleged unfair practices and mistakes by the exam conducting authorities (NTA), as a result, NEET aspirants wanted the exam to be cancelled. Now recently the Supreme Court has ordered in this matter. Let's break it down and find out what's really going on.
What is NTA?
Every year, the National Testing Agency (NTA) organises National Eligibility cum Entrance Test-Undergraduate (NEET-UG) for students aiming to pursue medical studies like MBBS, BDS, or AYUSH courses.
In India, NEET-UG is conducted annually for admission to 542 medical, 313 dental, 914 AYUSH, and 47 BSc Nursing colleges.
It serves as a gateway to the country's top medical institutions, including AIIMS, CMC, KGMU, and JIPMER.
What is the NEET UG Scam 2024?
NEET-UG exam 2024 was conducted on 5 May, and more than 24 lakh candidates participated in it. The recently declared results were scheduled to be released on 14 June but were instead released 10 days earlier, on 4 June.
Here are the main reasons behind the controversy on NEET-UG 2024 results:
- 67 students scored a perfect score of 720, getting 1st rank.
- Some students scored 718 and 719 marks, which should not be possible based on the NEET marking Scheme.
- The NEET-UG results were released 10 days early on 4 June, coinciding with the announcement of LS poll results.
- Many of the top scorers in NEET-UG 2024 are from the same exam centre.
- There are allegations of NEET question paper leaks.
Supporting Reasons for NEET Result Scam
Several reasons have led to concerns that the NEET 2024 exam might have been compromised:
1. Grace Marks for Lost Exam Time
The National Testing Agency (NTA) gave grace marks to candidates who lost exam time during NEET UG 2024, following the normalization formula set by the Supreme Court. This resulted in some students receiving scores as high as 718 or 719, which isn't possible according to the NEET 2024 marking scheme.
This decision has worried many students, as it led to a noticeable increase in some candidates' scores. This increase, especially among a few individuals, has raised doubts about the fairness of the exam.
2. Unusual Patterns in NEET 2024 Results
Another controversy is that 6-7 students from the same exam centre in Haryana got the exact same marks and percentiles, with their roll numbers in a sequence. This strange pattern has led people to suspect coordinated cheating or a flaw in the NEET 2024 exam process.
3. NTA Denies Question Paper Leaks
In response to the controversies, the NTA has strongly denied any reports of question paper leaks for NEET UG 2024. The agency has called the social media claims about leaked exam papers baseless. According to the NTA, these rumours are false, and the exam process was secure and fair.
4. NEET Cheating Scam 2024
A major issue has come up involving a cheating scam. Parshuram Roy, the owner of a foreign education consultancy, and Tushar Bhatt, a school teacher, along with at least 16 students from Gujarat, have been accused of fraud. They allegedly paid ₹ 10 lakh each to cheat and pass the NEET exam.
This scam has damaged the trust in the NEET UG 2024 results. The involvement of education professionals and the large amounts of money have raised serious concerns about widespread cheating and corruption in the exams.
Is there a Law Against Cheating or Paper leaks?
Yes, the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act 2024, also known as the 'anti-cheating' law. This law is meant to prevent cheating, including leaking exam papers, during government recruitment exams.
According to this Act, those who leak exam papers or change answer sheets, especially by working with officials, can face up to 10 years in jail and a fine of ₹1 crore.
This law covers exams conducted by organisations like NTA, UPSC, SSC, RRB, IBPS, and others.
Why was the NEET result declared 10 days early?
The NEET 2024 result was supposed to be announced on 14 June. However, the NTA surprised everyone by announcing it on June 4, the same day as the Lok Sabha election results. This made some people question the NTA's honesty.
They think the NTA did this on purpose to prevent people from noticing any mistakes in the NEET exam. Instead, everyone was busy with the election news. Experts say if the NEET result had come out when it was supposed to, more people would have talked about the problems in the NEET exam.
NTA Clarification on NEET 2024 Result Controversy
The NTA has not fully addressed the various claims and concerns about the NEET 2024 results. In a brief social media statement, the agency acknowledged receiving multiple complaints and court cases from candidates who reported losing exam time during the 5 May 2024 exam.
The NTA stated they used a normalisation formula created by the Supreme Court to handle these issues. This formula allowed them to award grace marks, which resulted in some students getting scores of 718 or 719.
However, the NTA has not released a detailed notice addressing the broader allegations of cheating and question paper leaks. Many people are still seeking more reassurance about the integrity of the exam.
Source: X
NEET Scam case in Supreme Court
NEET candidates filed a petition asking the Supreme Court to cancel the NEET UG exam and do it again. They also question the National Testing Agency's decision to give extra marks to about 1,600 students.
The Supreme Court of India had issued notice to the centre and the NTA regarding the petition about cancelling the NEET UG result. The court said that the integrity of the medical entrance exam had been harmed. However, the Supreme Court has not yet stopped the counselling process for medical admissions.
Govt cancelled Grace Marks
The Government told the Supreme Court that grace marks for the wrong question in the NEET exam would be cancelled. The government also said that these 1600 students will be given an option to take a re-test on June 23, or their result will be calculated based on marks obtained without grace marks.
Supreme Court Decision on NEET Scam 2024
Case Title: Vanshikha Yadav vs UOI and ors. and other connected matters.
Bench: CJI DY Chandrachud, Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra
Court Refuses to Cancel Exam: The Supreme Court on July 23 refused to cancel the NEET-UG 2024 exam due to a paper leak and malpractice. The Court stated there was no evidence indicating a leak that compromised the entire exam. Data did not show a systemic leak of the question paper.
Impact of Re-Examination: The SC said that ordering a re-examination would affect over 23 lakh students. It would disrupt the academic schedule and cause long-term consequences in future years.
Court Directs NTA to Re-Tally Results: The Court disapproved of the NTA’s decision to accept two answers for one question. Based on an expert report, the Court directed that option 4 should be treated as correct. The NTA was asked to re-tally the results accordingly.
Key Conclusions of the SC:
- The paper leak at Hazaribagh and Patna was confirmed.
- The CBI’s ongoing investigation showed about 155 students benefitted from the scam.
- The Court reviewed data from 571 cities and found no abnormalities indicating a systemic leak.
- The Court concluded there was no sufficient material to invalidate the exam results.
Conclusion
The NEET UG 2024 exam has faced numerous challenges, from allegations of paper leaks to controversies over grace marks. These issues have sparked widespread concern among students, parents, and educators. While petitioners argued for a re-test, citing systemic issues and similar past cases, the Union and NTA argued the leak was localized and beneficiaries were identifiable.
The Supreme Court after considering these arguments, the Court decided that the leak was only in a few places, and there wasn't enough proof of widespread cheating, thus refusing to cancel the exam.