Candidates Miss Re-Test for NEET-UG exam

Following an order from the Supreme Court, the NEET retest for 1,563 candidates was held on Sunday. The National Testing Agency (NTA) awarded grace marks to students who had lost some time due to delays in the commencement of the examination. However, the agency announced that the exam would be re-conducted due to allegations of inflation of marks and paper leaks. The retest was held at seven centers in Meghalaya, Chhattisgarh, Chandigarh, Haryana, and Gujarat.

Breach of Ethics

Only 813 out of the 1563 students gave the retest, and 750 missed out on the total. This indicates a significant number of students chose not deliberately give the re-test, or were unable to take the retest for various reasons unknown. In certain malpractices committed by the candidates, 63 of them had been debarred all across the country. 17 of them were from Bihar, who took the exam on May 5, and 30 were from Godhra, highlighting a nationwide issue with academic integrity.

The Protest of Students

Students in Gujarat started protesting against the re-examination of the NEET-UG exam, stating that the marks they earned were a result of their hard-earned success and dedication. They felt strongly about their efforts, and that they should be recognized and not undermined by the decision to conduct a retest, and showing their disapproval for those who scored below 600. In addition to this, around 400 parents from Gujarat started opposing the re-examination, calling it unjust. The parents argued that the retest would inevitably invalidate the hard work and accomplishments of the students who had already performed well in the previous examination.

FIR Lodged

Following a complaint from the Union Education Ministry, a First Information Report (FIR) was filed by The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Sunday. This complaint has prompted the CBI to initiate a complete investigation into the alleged malpractices revolving around the NEET-UG 2024 examination. Investigations will take place in Godhra and Patna, where reports of paper leaks by the local police have come to light. As part of the investigation, 13 people have already been arrested for their involvement in the allegations of paper leaks during the NEET-UG 2024 examination. These arrests highlight the gravity of the situation and the authorities’ commitment to addressing and rectifying the misconduct.