Call for an Expert Panel
Mr Pandey has asked the Supreme Court to form an expert panel to review the NEET examination process and results. He is concerned about the unfair awarding of grace marks to over 1,500 candidates by the National Testing Agency (NTA).
The NEET-UG 2024 which was held on May 5, involved around 24 lakh candidates across 4,750 centres. The results were expected on June 14 but were released on June 4 due to a quick evaluation of answer sheets.
Controversy and Protests
The controversy began with the question of paper leaks and unfair grace marks, leading to protests and legal actions in various courts. Due to the high number of top scores, including 67 perfect scores and six from one centre in Faridabad was a matter of concern. On June 10, students protested in Delhi, demanding a thorough investigation.
Education Minister’s Response
Mr Pradhan the Education Minister said, “There’s no evidence of any paper leak yet. There are allegations and competent authorities are looking into them. Certain allegations and loose information are coming in. Let us wait for the probe by the authorities concerned. Let’s wait till July 8 for the Supreme Court’s judgment. There’s nothing to hide.”
Assurance to Students
The minister reassured students that the Supreme Court had already declared on the issue and that 1,563 affected students would get a chance to retake the exam. He clarified that the NTA’s grace mark formula had some issues which led to six students becoming top scorers, which caused concerns among other students.
Government’s Stand
A group of students and parents met with Mr Pradhan, who asked them to trust the government’s intentions to fix the situation.
The NEET-UG 2024 controversy has raised debate and legal challenges. Alakh Pandey’s petition to the Supreme Court highlights the need for a thorough investigation to ensure fairness in the examination process. The outcome of this issue is eagerly awaited by students, parents, and educators.
-Prisha Jaiswal