Back
PremiumNEET UG 2024 Hearing Highlights: The Supreme Court on July 23 refused to order a re-exam of NEET UG 2024 saying that at the present stage there is absence of material on record to lead to conclusion that result of the exam is vitiated or that there is a systemic breach of the sanctity of th exam.
“Data on record is not indicative of a systemic leak of the question paper which would indicate a disruption of the sanctity of the exam," the court said while hearing on the a batch of pleas seeking cancellation, re-test and a court-monitored probe into the NEET UG 2024 exam held on May 5.
A bench comprising Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra is hearing the matter.
The Court said that during the hearing it has realised that directing a fresh NEET UG for the present year would be replete with serious consequences which will be for over 24 lakh students who appeared in this exam and cause disruption of admission schedule, cascading effects on the course of medical education, impact on availability of qualified medical professionals in the future and seriously disadvantageous for the marginalised group for whom reservation was made in allocation of seats.
During the hearing, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) confirmed before the top court that the paper leak in the NEET UG case had taken place in Hazaribagh centre in Jharkhand. A CBI office said in the court that some gadgets of the involved gang were burnt, and a few others were recovered on July 22 which will now be investigated.
Earlier, Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud said that the court had received the IIT Delhi report led by director Prof Banerjee and it says option 4 is the correct answer.
On July 22, the top court asked the Director of IIT, Delhi to constitute a three-member expert committee to give their opinion regarding the correct answer to an multiple choice question of NEET-UG 2024, for which the NTA awarded marks for two options.
JPC probe demanded
An association of central university professors has demanded the constitution of a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) to probe into the alleged irregularities in the NEET UG 2024 exam. The Federation of Central Universities Teachers’ Association (FEDCUTA) also called for immediate scrapping of the National Testing Agency (NTA) that conducts the exam for admission to medical colleges.
NTA's Additional Affidavit
In its affidavit, the NTA has refuted petitioners’ allegation of conflict of interest on the part of IIT-M Director, who prepared the data analytics report. The petitioners in the paper leak case have also filed an Intervention Application (IA) in the Supreme Court. The application has requested a retest for the nearly 3.5 lakh top scorers in the test. The petitioners said that they too have scored fairly high marks on the test — from 650 to 680 out of the total 720 marks.
What happened on July 18?
In the July 18 hearing, the top court also flagged the NTA's “hypothesis" that the paper was “leaked", solved and memorised by students within just 45 minutes. The lawyer appearing for one of the petitioner alleged that there was increase in the syllabus for the exam and the changes were notified just few months before. He also said the transportation of the question papers was compromised in Hazaribag.
Earlier in the day, CJI DY Chandrachud told the petitioners that they needed to prove that the paper leak was ‘systemic’ and affected the entire examination so as to warrant the cancellation of the entire exam. The re-examination has to be on concrete footing that the sanctity of entire test was affected, the CJI said, according to a report on legal news website LiveLaw.
What is the government's version?
The Union government has, in its affidavit, informed the Supreme Court that there was no evidence of widespread cheating or specific groups of candidates unfairly benefiting from abnormal scores in NEET UG 2024. The government also informed the Court that the Ministry of Education had requested IIT Madras to conduct comprehensive data analytics of the NEET-UG 2024 results.
NEET-UG 2024 was taken by 23.33 lakh students on May 5 across 4,750 centres in 571 cities, including 14 cities overseas. Conducted by the NTA, NEET UG is the entrance test for admissions to MBBS, BDS, AYUSH, and other related courses in government and private institutions nationwide.
Catch all the LIVE Updates on NEET UG 2024 Hearing here:
Updates to this blog has been closed
NEET UG 2024 Hearing Live: The Supreme Court said directing a fresh NEET UG for the present year would be replete with serious consequences which will be for over 24 lakh students who appeared in this exam and cause disruption of admission schedule, cascading effects on the course of medical education, impact on availability of qualified medical professionals in the future and seriously disadvantageous for the marginalised group for whom reservation was made in allocation of seats.
NEET UG 2024 Hearing Live: The Supreme Court said that at this stage the court has independently scrutinised the data placed on record by National Testing Authority. “At the present stage there is absence of material on record to lead to conclusion that the result of the exam is vitiated or that there is a systemic break of the sanctity of the exam," said CJI
NEET UG 2024 Hearing Live: There is an absence of conclusive material at present to prove that the sanctity of NEET UG 2024 exam has been compromised, says Supreme Court
NEET UG 2024 Hearing Live: CJI says reasons for conclusion will follow and the court will conclude and hold:
1. fact that leak of NEET UG 2024 paper took place at Hazaribagh and at patna is not in dispute
2. following transfer of investigation to it, CBI has filed its status reports dated July 10
NEET UG 2024 Hearing Live: CJI DY Chandrachud said arguments in the matter have concluded and judgment has been reserved. “In a matter like this final conclusions of the court be recorded at the present stage since there is an urgent need to provide certainty and finality to the dispute which has occured and affects career of over 2 million," he said.
NEET UG 2024 Hearing Live: The Supreme Court has concluded the hearing. The CJI-led bench is re-assembling soon.
NEET UG 2024 Hearing Live: Senior advocate Mathews Nedumpara, representing petitioners, said this was the issue of governance and that the government very conveniently did not raise the issue of maintainability of these petitions.
NEET UG 2024 Hearing Live: Advocate Narender Hooda, appearing for petitioners, said in the Supreme Court that the main mastermind Sanjeev Mukhiya who was involved in 5 paper leak cases yet to be arrested.
NEET UG 2024 Hearing Live: The fact that students got only a few hours to learn the answers and that shows in their results. 'They were only two students who got 573 and 581,' says CJI trying to prove that the paper leak took place on the morning of May 5.
NEET UG 2024 Hearing Live: The Supreme Court bench comprising Chief Justice of India, DY Chandrachud, Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra resumed hearing nearly 40 pleas after lunch.
NEET UG 2024 Hearing Live: The Supreme Court bench comprising Chief Justice of India, DY Chandrachud, Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra is taking a lunch break. The court will now re-convene after lunch at 2 pm.
NEET UG 2024 Hearing Live: 'Now we know that there was a leak very much and that it originated in Hazaribagh and was transmitted to Patna,' says Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud
NEET UG 2024 Hearing Live: Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge said on Tuesday, "We have seen what is happening with NEET all around, more than 25 lakh students are suffering due to scams that have happened... To date, only 4-5 students used get such high marks, how is this possible that hundreds of them are getting such high marks at one or two centres in Gujarat or Rajasthan? It affects the future of the student. That's the reason states like Tamil Nadu and Karnataka have come forward to reject this process."
NEET UG 2024 Hearing Live: Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said in the Supreme Court that the success rates in Bihar matches earlier years. “See the success rates in Bihar, Patna and Belgavi. the success rate matches earlier years. impression was made as if a student went to belgavi as if some large scale malpractice was going on. i do not know why she went but definitely for the reason being stated. See the percentile.. Bihar (Patna).. 49.22 percent is the success rate. Jharkhand Hazaribagh success rate is 47.28 percent," he said, reported Bar and Bench.
NEET UG 2024 Hearing Live: 'There are certain hubs like Kota, Sikar, Kottayam, Namakkal, Rajkot, for coaching centres of competitive exams and exams like UPSC, IIT-JEE etc. These students are given dummy papers every alternate day so that they are trained in such type of competitive exams. Like when they sit finally for NEET was the 201st exam probably,' Solicitor General says in the Supreme Court.
NEET UG 2024 Hearing Live: CJI-led bench has begun the hearing if NEET UG 2024 case
NEET UG 2024 Hearing Live: The Supreme Court will today hear the versions from the Union government and NTA during the ongoing hearing on NEET UG examination.
NEET UG 2024 Hearing Live: An association of central university professors has demanded the constitution of a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) to probe into the alleged irregularities in the NEET UG 2024 exam. The Federation of Central Universities Teachers’ Association (FEDCUTA) also called for immediate scrapping of the National Testing Agency (NTA) that had been tasked with holding the centralized NEET UG for the past few years.
NEET UG 2024 Hearing Live: The Supreme Court will today resume hearing on the a batch of pleas seeking cancellation, re-test and a court-monitored probe into the controversial NEET UG 2024 exam. The exam for admission into medical colleges was held on May 5. The results were declared on June 4.
NEET UG 2024 Hearing Live: The National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test is a joint entrance test conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) for students aspiring to take admissions in MBBS, MBBS, BDS, AYUSH and other related courses in government and private institutions across the country.
NEET UG 2024 Hearing Live: The Supreme Court will resume hearing nearly 40 petitions filed in the NEET-UG matter on Tuesday. The apex court will also hear submissions of Solicitor General Tushar Mehta and others on behalf of the Centre and the National Testing Agency.
NEET UG 2024 Hearing Live: The apex court will continue hearing the case on NEET-UG exam today, ie July 23.
NEET UG 2024 Hearing Live: Delhi's Rouse Avenue Court on Monday granted anticipatory bail to the father of a NEET UG 2024 aspirant who is accused of taking the advantage of discrepancies in the examination.
The CBI is investigating the case related to the NEET UG Paper case.
Special judge Ankit Singla granted anticipatory bail to Shambhu Sharan Ram.
NEET UG 2024 Hearing Live: Top Congress leaders Monday held a meeting at the residence of Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi to discuss their strategy for the Monsoon Session, and decided to strongly raise issues related to the NEET-UG paper leak case, Agniveer scheme and Manipur violence.
“We have decided that we will raise the issue of farmers, Agniveer and NEET. We believe that we will put forward these issues in the Business Advisory Committee meetings of the two Houses. We also want that the discussion on selected ministries should be on issues connected with people," deputy leader in Rajya Sabha Pramod Tiwari told reporters after the meeting.
NEET UG 2024 Hearing Live: Indian Youth Congress workers held a protest on Monday, demanding a re-conduct of the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test.The protest was held near Parliament with several workers covering their mouths with black cloth and carrying placards, raising slogans against the government. The protesters were carrying a large banner that said "RE-NEET."
NEET UG 2024 Hearing Live: Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan took a swipe at Rahul Gandhi on Monday over the NEET-UG row.
"Rahul Gandhi and his cabal shedding crocodile tears. Maybe he understands fundamentals and maths of unfair practices too well," the Education Minister said.
NEET UG 2024 Hearing Live: The bench will resume hearing the pleas related to the controversy-ridden medical entrance exam on Tuesday.
NEET UG 2024 Hearing Live: SC takes note of plea that grant or denial of marks for answers to particular question has bearing on final merit list.
NEET UG 2024 Hearing Live: Advocate Dheeraj Kumar Singh said that the petitioner had completed their arguments today.
“Court has directed us to file the written synopsis who are not able to address the court in today's hearing. So, by evening, the other petitioners can file their written synopsis to the court through email. The matter has been adjourned for tomorrow, for the arguments of the respondents - Union of India and NTA," he explained.
NEET UG 2024 Hearing Live: The Supreme Court has asked experts of IIT Delhi to give opinion on right answer to a particular question by Tuesday 12 noon.
NEET UG 2024 Hearing Live: According to details provided by the Solicitor General 9.28 lakh students have selected option 4 (the seemingly ‘correct’ answer) while option 2 was selected by 9.78 lakh students.
An incorrect answer would cause the candidate to lose four marks as well as incurring a negative mark.
NEET UG 2024 Hearing Live: Hearing to resume tomorrow with NTA and Centre making submissions.
NEET UG 2024 Hearing Live: The Bench led by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud has recommended the formation of expert team to resolve issue regarding the correct answer to one question.
“One of the questions of the NEET-UG 24 exam read as follows. As indicated in the question as framed of which students had to select one option as their answer. In order to resolve the issue as regards the correct answer, we are of the considered view that an expert opinion should be sought from IIT Delhi. We request the Director of IIT Delhi to constitute a team of three experts of the subject concerned. The expert team constituted by the Director is requested to formulate the opinion on the correct option and remit the opinion to the Registrar by 12 noon tomorrow. Registrar General is requested to communicate the order to the IIT Delhi Director so that expeditious steps for the preparation of the opinion can be taken," LiveLaw quoted.
NEET UG 2024 Hearing Live: Chief Justice DY Chandrachud broached the possibility of appointing an expert body and asking them to give the correct option by tomorrow.
“Allow me to respond tomorrow morning," responded the Solicitor General.
NEET UG 2024 Hearing Live: The Bench is also hearing petitioners who are opposing a re-examination. Their counsel contends that a re-test will cause immense hardship and delay the timeline for admissions.
NEET UG 2024 Hearing Live: Chief Justice DY Chandrachud has asked the remaining petitioners seeking retest to send written submissions by email.
NEET UG 2024 Hearing Live: One of the counsel raised the issue faced by students in some centres in Meghalaya who were not given grace marks or given re-test option though they suffered loss of time. The Bench has asked the Solicitor General to take instructions on this.
NEET UG 2024 Hearing Live: The solicitor general said that he would ‘separately examine’ the concerns around a question that had two ‘correct’ answers.
NEET UG 2024 Hearing Live: 4.20 lakh students stand to lose 4 marks as well as incurring one negative mark if one of the two ‘correct’ answers are deemed wrong. According to the Counsel, the provisional answer key had given the correct answer as per the new textbooks. However the NTA had later changed matters and decided to give marks for option 2 as well.
“Suppose they accept their argument, none of the students who opted option 2 are here. All those 44 students who got 720, they will come to 715. You could not have treated both as correct answers. You have to choose either option. Both can't co-exist," LiveLaw quoted the CJI as saying
NEET UG 2024 Hearing Live: Chief Justice DY Chandrachud says is not possible to have two answers to a question.
“The instructions are that go by the latest NCERT edition. Option 4 is the correct answer as per the latest NCERT edition. Then those who answered option 2 cannot be given full marks. There, I think they may have a point," the CJI said.
NEET UG 2024 Hearing Live: Lawyers for a petitioner who got 711 marks has challenged a question with ‘ambiguous options’ and called for it to be deleted. The candidate had chosen to skip the question while the NTA gave full marks to people who answered with their of the two ‘correct’ options. They argued that 44 students got full marks because of the grace marks given for this question.
“But I cannot make the determination that there are two correct answers at the time of exam. I cannot assume that there are two correct answers and marks will be awarded for both. I decide to not attempt because I know there is negative marking. I have done extremely well except for this question. I am in rank 311 currently. If I am given four marks for this question, I will move up," LiveLaw quoted the counsel as saying.
NEET UG 2024 Hearing Live: Lawyers representing the petitioners questioned the figure of ‘1563 students’ given by the National Testing Agency.
The Counsel also objected to the NTA opening a 24 hour window on April 9 to allow 24,000 additional registrations.
They argued that candidates who had failed to fill out forms on time should not be given additional opportunity.
The Counsel quoted excerpts from the Tanvi Sarval case to underscore their point before the Supreme Court.
Lawyers noted that the Court had ordered the CBSE to hold re-examination of AIPMT for around six lakh students after at least 44 were found to have used unfair means.
NEET UG 2024 Hearing Live: Advocate Mathews J Nedumpara, appearing for petitioners, said in the SC on Monday that the paper leak leak industry is worth ₹2500 crores. “50,000 govt medical seats are there. Capitation fee is anything between 50 lakh to 1 crore. Leak has been happening for many many years, 2013, 2014, 2016. Stations in Haryana which were talking about were involved then too," Nedumpara said.
NEET UG 2024 Hearing Live: Petitioner's advocate Narender Hooda told Supreme Court that if this Court was not considering re-NEET, at least qualified people should be asked to re-take the exam, which will be about 13 lakh people, legal news website LiveLaw reported.
NEET UG 2024 Hearing Live: The Supreme Court bench comprising Chief Justice of India, DY Chandrachud, Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra resumes hearing NEET matters after lunch break
NEET UG 2024 Hearing Live: Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud said on Monday that because there is a perception that the marking is lenient in those centres, may not be a ground to cancel the entire exam. “Also Mr.Hooda, in many professional exams, students do choose some centres. Because there is a perception that the marking is lenient in those centres. That may not be a ground to cancel the entire exam," the CJI told petitioners' counsel Narender Hooda.
NEET UG 2024 Hearing Live: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said in the Lok Sabha on Monday that there is a very serious problem in the country's examination system, prompting Education minister Dharmendra Pradhan to issue a strong rebuttal and state that there was no evidence of paper leaks in the last seven years.
As the opposition sought to corner the government over the issue of paper leaks, Speaker Om Birla also weighed in saying it was not right to raise questions about all exams and that members should discuss about developing a better examination system. (PTI)
