The Supreme Court of India will hear petitions related to the controversy surrounding the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test-Undergraduate (NEET-UG) 2024, which was held on May 5th. A bench comprising Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra will hear over 40 pleas today. These pleas encompass requests for the cancellation of the exam, a re-test, and a probe into alleged malpractices during the conduct of NEET-UG 2024. They also seek the transfer of cases pending against the National Testing Agency (NTA) in various high courts regarding the NEET row.
The Supreme Court has previously stated that mandating a retest for nearly 23 lakh students would be considered a last resort, recognizing the financial constraints faced by many candidates from low-income families. During the last hearing, the court stressed the importance of a comprehensive investigation and a detailed report before issuing a final ruling. The court outlined specific criteria for determining the need for a retest, including whether the alleged breach was systemic in nature, whether it compromised the integrity of the examination process, and whether it is feasible to separate those who benefited from the fraud from unaffected students.
The court has the authority to order a retest if the breach is extensive and it is impossible to differentiate between compromised and uncompromised candidates. However, the Centre and the NTA have argued against cancelling the exam, deeming it counterproductive and detrimental to the future of many honest candidates, particularly considering the lack of substantial evidence for a significant breach of confidentiality.
More than 23.33 lakh students participated in the test on May 5th at 4,750 centers in 571 cities, including 14 cities overseas. The NTA administers the NEET-UG for admissions to MBBS, BDS, AYUSH, and other related courses in government and private institutions across India. The outcome of today’s hearing will have significant implications for the future of thousands of aspiring medical professionals.
