New Delhi:

The Supreme Court today issued a notice to the National Testing Agency (NTA) following a petition filed by a learning app alleging exam rigging in the recently conducted NEET-UG exams. The court has directed the NTA to respond to the notice by July 8, when the hearing on the matter will take place.

The petition raises serious concerns about the integrity of the NEET-UG examination held on May 5. The results for this exam, announced on June 4, have been mired in controversy with allegations of irregularities and malpractice. The petitioners claim that over 1,500 students were awarded grace marks, which has significantly impacted the overall rankings and fairness of the exam.

In addition to the Supreme Court, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has also been tasked with probing several cases related to the alleged paper leak and exam rigging. The CBI’s investigation spans multiple states and has already led to the questioning of individuals and several arrests connected to the case.

The petitioners, represented by the coaching centre and other students, argued for students’ right to access their Optical Mark Recognition (OMR) sheets. 

However, Justice Manoj Mishra and Justice SVN Bhatti, presiding over the case, questioned the fundamental rights allegedly violated by the NTA’s actions.

Addressing a joint sitting of Parliament earlier today, President Droupadi Murmu said that the government is committed to probing the allegations concerning exam paper leaks. 

“If due to any reason, there is an obstruction in examinations it is not appropriate. Sanctity and transparency are a must in government recruitments and examinations,” she said. “The government is committed to conducting a fair investigation and ensuring the most stringent punishment to those guilty in the recent incidents of paper leak.”

At least 48 per cent of the students who were to retake the NEET-UG exam 2024 didn’t turn up, the National Testing Agency (NTA) has said. This comes after the Supreme Court ordered that 1,563 students, who were given the grace marks, were eligible to sit for the re-test. However, only 813 (52 per cent) sat for the re-test, while 750 skipped, as per the data released by the NTA.

What will happen to the students who did not take the NEET retest?

More than 1,500 candidates were awarded grace marks by the NTA. Later, the agency withdrew these grace marks, saying the committee decided to cancel the scorecards of the 1,563 NEET-UG 2024 candidates who received grace marks, and these students will have the option to take a re-test. “The exam will be conducted on June 23, and the results will be declared before June 30,” it said.

The students who did not appear for the re-test will have to accept their original scores, minus the grace marks.

Why were the students awarded the grace marks?

The NTA awarded grace marks to 1,563 students due to “loss of exam time.” In awarding the grace marks, the agency said it followed the same formula that the court had approved in the CLAT exam when a similar situation arose in 2018.

It all started after an unusually high number of candidates scored a perfect 720 in the NEET-UG exam, formerly the All India Pre-Medical Test (AIPMT).

Initially, the perfect scores were attributed to the grace marks, which were first given because of a faulty question and logistical issues.

However, after an investigation by the Bihar Police, it came to light that a few candidates had received the questions a night before the exam.

Despite the NTA’s attempts, a widespread accusation of leak resulted in nationwide protests and legal cases. Soon enough the Supreme Court also intervened, reprimanding the NTA’s handling of the matter.

In the latest turn of events, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has taken charge of the probe, following a complaint by the Ministry of Human Resources.

The retest took place on the same day as the CBI registered an FIR in connection with alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG exam held on May 5.

The CBI filed the case following a complaint from the Education Ministry amid protests by students for a probe into paper leak claims.