New Delhi:

The National Testing Agency (NTA) in its written submission to the Supreme Court last night, reiterated that there has been no systematic failure concerning the NEET UG examination controversy. The response comes amid allegations of unprecedented high marks among top candidates, prompting concerns about potential fraud and systemic issues within the exam’s administration.

The NTA categorically denied the allegations, stating: “The allegations of the Petitioners that there has been a systemic failure as candidates have obtained unprecedented higher marks only in the top range of mark interval are misconceived and thus denied.”

The NTA acknowledged specific incidents under investigation, particularly in Bihar. These incidents, described as “criminal activities”, are being probed by law enforcement agencies. Initially investigated by the Bihar Police, the case was handed over to the Economic Offenses Unit (EOU) and has since been transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for further investigation at the central level.

As part of its immediate response, the NTA has withheld the results of 17 candidates suspected of being involved in fraudulent activities. These candidates were issued show-cause notices, pending the outcome of the investigation. 

Petitioners claimed that drastic inflation in NEET (UG) 2024 scores resulted from widespread fraud, including paper leaks, OMR tampering, and misuse of compensatory marks. The NTA refuted these claims, attributing the increased scores to a 22-25 per cent reduction in the syllabus and a 15 per cent rise in the number of candidates.

The NTA argued that the increase in marks was consistent across most ranges and did not significantly affect the relative performance of candidates. 

A Supreme Court bench comprising Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra will today hear more than 40 pleas, including those filed by the NTA, seeking transfer of cases pending against it in various high courts on the NEET-UG row to the Supreme Court to avoid multiplicity of litigations.

The petitions seek the cancellation of the exam, a re-test, and an investigation into alleged malpractices during NEET-UG 2024. The bench has already received a status report from the CBI on the progress of the probe into these irregularities.

New Delhi:

Even as the Supreme Court deferred its hearing on contrasting petitions seeking a retest for NEET-UG and those opposed to it amid the alleged irregularities in the exam, Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan met students from both sides and heard their concerns. 

Sources said that during the 30-minute meeting, Mr Pradhan assured the students that injustice will not be allowed to happen to them under any circumstances and that the government is taking a series of steps to ensure that such irregularities do not take place in future exams. 

While some students told the minister that it would be unfair to penalise people who have not indulged in cheating of any sort by asking them to sit for a retest, others said the irregularities were widespread enough to necessitate one.

Nearly 24 lakh students had appeared for the NEET-UG 2024 for undergraduate medical courses, which is conducted by the National Testing Agency, on May 5. The results were announced on June 4, 10 days before schedule, but allegations of question paper leaks and grace marks to over 1,500 students triggered protests. Cases were also filed in courts, including the Supreme Court. 

The education minister told the students that since the matter is now being heard by the Supreme Court, the government will take further action based on its decision. He said the Education Ministry has presented its side before the court and it is now up to the judges to decide. 

In an affidavit submitted to the Supreme Court on Wednesday, the Centre said that a comprehensive analysis of the results had revealed that there was no large-scale malpractice or evidence of a local set of candidates benefiting. 

The Union government also reiterated its stance that it does not intend to hold a retest of the medical entrance exam. Doing so on the basis of “unsubstantiated suspicions”, it said, would burden nearly 24 lakh students. 

The Centre told the court that it intends to start the counselling process for NEET-UG, which is the final stage for admissions, from the third week of July in four phases. If any candidate is found to have benefited from any irregularity, their counselling will be cancelled in any of the phases or even after, it said. 

In its affidavit, the Centre said the data analysis was carried out by experts from IIT Madras. The data revealed that there is an overall increase in the marks obtained by students, specifically in the range of 550 to 720, and this rise has been seen across cities and centres. 

The Centre said the increase can be attributed to a 25% reduction in syllabus.

In a hearing on Monday, a Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud said it was loathe to order a re-test for nearly 24 lakh students – many of whom come from poor families and could ill afford to spend money travelling to exam centres – unless necessary. A re-test is the “last option”, it said.

“One thing is clear… questions were leaked. The sanctity of the exam has been compromised… this is beyond doubt. Now we have to establish the extent of the leak,” the Chief Justice said.

Another hearing was supposed to be held on Thursday, but it has been deferred to July 18.

New Delhi:

In its reply to the Supreme Court’s questions on alleged irregularities surrounding the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), the National Testing Agency (NTA) has answered a key question: why so many toppers this time. 

As many as 67 students scored the perfect score of 720/720 in the all-India exam for medical education aspirants. The jump in the number of toppers fuelled the doubts surrounding the exams, especially since six of them were from the same centre in Haryana’s Jhajjar.

The NTA’s affidavit filed before the top court says that the six students at the Jhajjar centre scored 720 after they were awarded grace marks for loss of time. But in the retest on May 23, they could not score full marks. So, the number of students with 720/720 stands at 61.

The testing agency then said that 17 candidates out of these 61 had scored full marks on provisional answer keys. The remaining 44 got a perfect score after revision in an Answer Key of Physics. “During the Answer Key Challenge period, ie, from 29.05.2024 to 01.06.2024, NTA received 13.373 challenges to the provisional answer key of one question in Physics. Due to the differences in the old and new editions of the NCERT textbook, the Subject Expert(s) held that two options may be taken as correct in place of one option for this Question…,” NTA said.

Therefore, the agency said, the actual number of candidates who scored 720/720 without any revision in answer keys is 17, “which is not significantly higher in number than previous years”.

“It is further relevant to mention that the 17 candidates who scored 720/720 based on the provisional answer keys are distributed to 16 centres located in 15 cities. Similarly, 61 candidates who scored 720/720 marks on final answer keys are distributed across 58 centres located in 41 cities across the country,” the NTA said in its affidavit.

The testing agency also said that the petitioner’s allegation that the number of students scoring high marks are from certain centres is “completely unsubstantiated”.

“In this regard, the Result of top 100 candidates was analysed and it has been reported that they are distributed across 95 centres located in 56 cities within 18 States/UTs of the country. This diverse distribution highlights the widespread participation and competitive spirit among students from different regions and educational backgrounds,” the NTA has said.

New Delhi:

The Supreme Court on Monday advised caution to a clutch of petitioners demanding a re-test of the May 5 NEET-UG exam, the results of which were released last month and have been affected by leaked question papers and the award of ‘grace marks’, or preferential marking, for 1,563 students.

The court said certain circumstances – specifically “(if) the time lag between the leak and actual exam is limited” – would argue against a re-test. “If students were asked to memorise (the leaked questions) on the morning of the exam then the leak might not have been so widespread…”

The three-judge bench led by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud said it therefore was loathe to order a re-test for nearly 24 lakh students – many of whom come from poor families and could ill-afford to spend money travelling to exam centres – unless necessary. A re-test is the “last option”, it said.

“One thing is clear… questions were leaked. The sanctity of the exam has been compromised… this is beyond doubt. Now we have to establish the extent of the leak,” the Chief Justice said, “We have to be careful while ordering a re-test. We are dealing with the careers of lakhs of students.”

“You don’t cancel an exam only because two students cheated. We must be careful…”

The Supreme Court said a re-test could only be ordered if there was sufficient time (the court did not specify how much this should be) between the leak of the questions and conduct of the exam.

“If time lag was too long then there needs to be a re-test… or, if we can’t identify candidates who are guilty of wrongdoing, then a retest has to be ordered,” the Supreme Court said.

On the subject of the time lag, the court also sought details about the printing of the question papers. And, in a humorous aside, also reminded the NTA to not reveal details about the process.

Therefore, instead of ordering an immediate re-test the court advised the constitution of a multi-disciplinary panel to probe this issue, which is already being investigated by the CBI and the police.

The court also rapped the government for being in “denial” and said it should be “ruthless” in dealing with candidates who paid for the leaked exam and those who supplied the question paper.

“Let us not be in self-denial about what happened…” the bench, also including Justice JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, said, adding, “Assuming we do not cancel, what will the government do to identify the beneficiaries? You have to be ruthless… bring some sense of confidence to the process.”

Earlier the court had been told question papers were available on social media, including popular messaging apps like Telegram, at least 24 hours before the exam was to begin. It acknowledged this point and said that if questions had been so leaked, it could have “spread like wildfire”.

Controversy over the NEET-UG exam broke last month after results were declared.

The first red flags were the unusually high number of perfect scores; a record 67 students, including six from one coaching centre, scored a maximum 720. Questions were also asked over the award of ‘grace marks’ – not exam protocol, the NTA said – to 1,563 students.

The NEET exam – held annually for admission to undergraduate medical courses – were conducted on May 5. Controversy over the exam – which nearly 24 lakh students took – broke last month after results were announced. The first red flags were the unusually high number of perfect scores; a record 67 students, including six from one coaching centre, scored a maximum 720. Questions were also asked over the award of ‘grace marks’ – not exam protocol, the NTA said – to 1,563 students.

Chandigarh:

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Saturday slammed the Congress, saying it wants to run away from a discussion in Parliament over the NEET exam issue.

His remark came a day after Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to hold a “respectful” and good discussion in Parliament on the issue of alleged irregularities in the conduct of the NEET exam.

Replying to a question on the opposition targeting the BJP-led Centre over the NEET exam issue, Mr Pradhan said, “The Congress does not want a discussion. It wants to run away from the discussion. Its only intention is to create chaos, confusion and create obstacles in the smooth functioning of the entire institutional mechanism.” He said the President had also talked about the NEET exam issue, being raised by the Congress, in her address in Parliament.

He further said the opposition had a chance to raise this issue during the motion of thanks to the President’s address and asserted the government was ready for any type of discussion.

“But the Congress wants to play politics over the matter. It is not the time to play politics,” Mr Pradhan told reporters after the first session of the Haryana BJP’s extended state executive meeting got over in Panchkula.

Without naming anyone, he further said such irregularities took place before 2014, apparently pointing towards the previous UPA regime at the Centre.

“I could not justify it,” he said.

On steps being taken for zero-error examinations, the minister said a high-level committee of experts under the chairmanship of former ISRO chairman K Radhakrishnan has been formed for the reform of the National Testing Agency (NTA).

“A strong law has been formed against public examination and disruption,” he added.

Mr Pradhan further said the matter pertaining to alleged irregularities in the medical entrance exam NEET-UG has been handed over to the CBI.

“We are meeting students and parents,” he said.

To another question, he said the date of National Eligibility cum Entrance Test, Post Graduate will be announced by the NBE (National Board of Examinations) in one or two days.

The opposition caused repeated disruptions in Parliament Friday over the NEET paper leak issue.

NEET-UG was conducted by the NTA on May 5 with around 24 lakh candidates appearing. The results were announced on June 4, but they were followed by allegations of question paper leaks in states such as Bihar, besides other irregularities.

The Education Ministry also cancelled the University Grants Commission-National Eligibility Test (UGC-NET) and NEET (postgraduate) examinations after receiving inputs that the exams’ “integrity may have been compromised. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:
The first session of Parliament after the Lok Sabha elections will begin today, with the newly-elected MPs – including Prime Minister Narendra Modi – taking oath.

Here are the top 10 updates on this big story

New Delhi:
The first session of Parliament after the Lok Sabha elections will begin today, with the newly-elected MPs – including Prime Minister Narendra Modi – taking oath.

Here are the top 10 updates on this big story

New Delhi:
The first session of Parliament after the Lok Sabha elections will begin today, with the newly-elected MPs – including Prime Minister Narendra Modi – taking oath.

1. BJP MP Bhartruhari Mahtab will be administered the oath as the Pro-Tem Speaker by President Droupadi Murmu, who then will call upon the Prime Minister to take oath as the member of the House.

2. The row over the appointment of Bhartruhari Mahtab as the pro-tem Speaker is expected to cast a shadow over the proceedings. The post of Pro Tem Speaker – a temporary one — traditionally goes to the senior most member of parliament.

3. The Congress – which was expecting Kodikunnil Suresh, a Dalit leader and an eight-time MP from Kerala, to be named Pro-Tem Speaker – has criticisied the BJP over the appointment of Mr Mahtab.

4. The Lok Sabha Speaker will be elected on June 26. Until a new Speaker is elected, the Pro-Tem Speaker presides over the first few sessions of the Lok Sabha and conducts the election for the new Speaker and Deputy Speaker.

5. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to announce the new Speaker’s name on Wednesday, two days after the first sitting of the newly elected 18th Lok Sabha. Once the Speaker is elected – by a simple majority, meaning the BJP’s pick is unlikely to fail – the Pro-Tem’s post ceases to exist.

6. The Opposition is also expected to raise the alleged irregularities in competitive exams NEET and NET. Amid an escalating row, the Centre on Saturday replaced National Testing Agency Director General Subodh Singh and set up a seven-member panel to review the agency’s functioning and recommend exam reforms.

7. The government has also operationalised a stringent law that aims to curb malpractices and irregularities in competitive examinations. A maximum jail term of 10 years and a fine of up to Rs 1 crore for offenders are some of the tough measures under the law.

8. The Congress last week held protests across the country over the exam fiasco, demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Congress MP Rahul Gandhi said he will raise the issue in parliament and the opposition will put pressure on the government to ensure justice for students.

9. President Droupadi Murmu will address a joint sitting of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha on June 27. She may outline the new government’s roadmap for the next five years.

10. This session will conclude on July 3 and reassemble for the monsoon session on July 22.

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Patna:

The Bihar government will hand over the investigation of alleged irregularities in the 2024 NEET-UG exam to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for a thorough probe. The Economic Offences Unit shall hand over all the updated case records to the central agency, said an official on Sunday.

“Bihar government is to hand over the case related to the irregularities in the NEET UG examination held on May 5 to the CBI. The CBI team is expected soon in Patna to take over the investigation of the case. Economic Offences Unit shall hand over all the updated case records to CBI,” according to Economic Offences Unit (EOU) DIG, Nayyar Hasnain Khan.

The EOU official informed about the same and said, “The state government issued a notification on Sunday to accord its consent to the CBI in order to investigate the FIR no. 5117081240358 dated May 5, 2024, registered at Shastrinagar PS Patna case under sections 407, 408, 409, and 120B IPC,, which relates to irregularities in the NEET UG 2024 examination held on May 5, 2024.”

“The CBI team is expected soon in Patna to take over the investigation of the said case. EOU shall hand over all the updated case records to CBI,” he said.

After taking over the probe into the alleged irregularities in the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET)-UG exams in 2024, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has formed special teams to investigate the case, the central agency said in a statement on Sunday.

According to the CBI, special teams are being rushed to Patna in Bihar and Godhra in Gujarat, where local police cases have been registered.

This comes after the central government entrusted the CBI with the matter of alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG exam in 2024 for a comprehensive investigation.

“National Testing Agency (NTA) conducted the NEET (UG) Examination on May 5, 2024, in OMR (pen and paper) mode. Certain cases of alleged irregularities, cheating, impersonation, and malpractices have been reported. For transparency on the conduct of the examination process, the Ministry of Education, Government of India, after a review, has decided to entrust the matter to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for a comprehensive investigation,” the government said

The Central Government has also enacted the Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, to prevent unfair means in public examinations and to provide for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto,” it said.

“The government is committed to ensuring the sanctity of examinations and protecting the interests of students. It is reiterated that any individual or organisation found to be involved will face strictest action,” it added.

The National Testing Agency (NTA), which conducted the NEET-UG exams, is facing criticism over alleged irregularities in the exams.

This resulted in several protests across the country, with protestors and political parties demanding to disband the NTA.

An unprecedented 67 candidates achieved a perfect score of 720 out of 720, which added to the concerns.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Chandigarh:

Invigilators were waiting, police personnel were on the spot and metal scanners were in place, but the two students who were to take the NEET-UG retest at an exam centre in Chandigarh did not turn up.

St Joseph’s Senior Secondary School in Sector 44 of Chandigarh is among the seven centres selected by the National Testing Agency for the re-examination of 1,563 candidates.

These candidates, the Centre had told the Supreme Court, had been awarded grace marks to compensate for the loss of time and revision of answers in the exam held on May 5. The grace marks were cancelled amid the massive row surrounding the exam, but the candidates were provided an opportunity to take the test again.

NDTV visited the Chandigarh centre this morning and found police personnel and teachers waiting for the two examinees. Two security personnel were at the gate with metal scanners. “The examination starts at 2 pm and the gate will be shut the gate at 1.30 pm. We are waiting for the students and all preparations have been made,” said one of the invigilators. When the students did not turn up, the gate of the exam centre was shut as per rules.

The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test is an all Indian examination for admission to medical courses in colleges across the country. The exam, taken by 24 lakh students on May 5, came under the scanner after the results were declared on June 4. A total of 67 students scored 720/720 marks and the cut-off was pushed so high that many students wondered if they would get a college berth.

Allegations of irregularities have sparked nationwide protests by students. Several people have been arrested in Bihar in a paper leak case. A student among them has told police he got the questions the night before the exam.

The government, which had initially denied any paper leak, has now handed over the investigation to the CBI. The director general of the National Testing Agency, which conducted the test, has been fired. The Opposition has launched a scathing attack against the government, saying the mismanagement surrounding the exam has pushed the future of lakhs of students towards uncertainty.