The Supreme Court of India, during a hearing on the ongoing NEET UG controversy, has instructed petitioners seeking a re-examination to demonstrate that the exam paper leak was systemic and significantly compromised the integrity of the entire examination.
Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, presiding over the hearing on July 18, stated that the petitioners must prove the leak affected the examination comprehensively to warrant its cancellation. He emphasized the need for concrete evidence that the sanctity of the entire test was undermined.
Senior advocate Narendar Hooda initiated arguments on behalf of the petitioners. The NEET exam, conducted on May 5, saw participation from approximately 23.33 lakh students at 4,750 centers across 571 cities, including 14 overseas locations.
Previous affidavits submitted by the central government and the National Testing Agency (NTA) argued against canceling the exam, citing the potential negative impact on thousands of genuine applicants. They maintained this stance despite a lack of conclusive evidence demonstrating widespread confidentiality breaches.
