The National Testing Agency’s (NTA) decision to award grace marks to students in this year’s National Entrance cum Eligibility Test (NEET) has sparked controversy, leading to a writ petition being filed in the Supreme Court. The petitioner argues that the use of the ‘normalization formula’ to grant grace marks is unlawful, arbitrary, and contravenes Articles 14 and 21 of the Indian Constitution. They assert that this formula should not be applied in this context since the exam is designed to evaluate subject knowledge directly, rather than awarding marks based on the assumption of knowledge.
In response to the allegations of mark inflation, the NTA has set up a committee to review the grace marks awarded to NEET UG 2024 candidates. The Ministry of Education has also formed a committee to investigate the matter, particularly focusing on the 67 candidates who achieved the top rank, with six of them coming from the same exam centre in Haryana. The committees are expected to submit their recommendations within a week.
The alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG 2024 examination have garnered attention from political leaders and youth organizations. Congress leader Srinivas BV has called for an investigation, while Congress MP Rahul Gandhi has targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the issue. Indian Youth Congress members protested on Raisina Road, demanding justice for aggrieved students.
The NEET scam has raised concerns among students and parents, who are questioning the integrity of the examination process. The committees formed by the NTA and Ministry of Education are expected to shed light on the matter and determine whether any irregularities occurred. The Supreme Court is also expected to hear the writ petition and provide its verdict on the legality of the grace marks decision.
