The Supreme Court on Thursday delved into the precise date and time of the alleged leak of NEET-UG 2024 exam papers. The primary question was whether the leak occurred before May 3rd or just 45 minutes prior to the exam on May 5th. Another key point of contention was whether the leak happened while the question papers were in the custody of banks, exam centers, or private printing companies.
Chief Justice of India (CJI) D.Y. Chandrachud remarked that there were two potential scenarios for the paper leak, stating that the notion of the entire paper being solved and distributed to students within 45 minutes was highly improbable.
Solicitor General (SG) Tushar Mehta argued that there was no “leak” but rather a “breach” at a specific center between 8:02 AM and 9:23 AM. He claimed that an individual entered the center, photographed the exam paper, and left. The CJI questioned the feasibility of solving the entire paper, containing 180 questions, within the timeframe between 9:30 AM and 10:15 AM, and transmitting it to students.
The SG responded that seven solvers were involved, each assigned 25 questions. He added that the questions were jumbled, forcing students to memorize them. However, the CJI reiterated that the hypothesis of solving the entire paper within 45 minutes and distributing it to students was far-fetched, even suggesting that one hour would be improbable.
The CJI expressed concern about the timeframe between the breach and the exam, stating that a longer period, like three days, would pose a greater risk of widespread leak. He also questioned the logic of paying ₹75,000 for a paper leaked only 45 minutes before the exam.
During the hearing, the petitioner’s counsel, Hooda, revealed that the National Testing Agency (NTA) claimed that the question papers were dispatched to exam centers on April 24th through a private courier company. These papers reached the State Bank of India (SBI) and Canara Bank on May 3rd. CJI Chandrachud highlighted that the question papers were sent to SBI/Canara bank branches in 571 cities. He identified two potential leak scenarios: before the papers reached the banks, potentially before May 3rd, or after the papers were distributed from the banks and en route to the exam centers.
The CJI ultimately stated that a CBI investigation would determine the precise time the accused received the question paper, revealing the exact duration of the leak. He emphasized that a shorter timeframe would reduce the likelihood of a widespread leak.
The Supreme Court’s scrutiny of the NEET-UG 2024 paper leak is crucial in ensuring fairness and integrity in the examination process. The investigation will not only determine the extent of the leak but also highlight the vulnerabilities in the examination system that need to be addressed to prevent future occurrences.
