NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday instructed the Director of IIT Delhi to form a panel of three subject experts by Tuesday noon to evaluate and determine the correct answer for a disputed question in the NEET-UG exam. This directive follows a challenge by students against the National Testing Agency’s (NTA) decision to award marks for two possible answers to a single question.A three-judge bench of the top court, led by the Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud, and comprising Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, passed the order after being informed by some of the petitioners that one single question in the exam had two correct answer options according to the old and new NCERT syllabuses. The NTA, allegedly considering this, has awarded marks to students who opted for either of the “correct” options. The petitioners submitted before the court that the NTA’s decision was inconsistent and unfair. The case, which involves allegations of paper leakage and other malpractices, will resume its hearing on July 23rd, as the court seeks to address the concerns raised by the students and ensure the integrity of the examination process.The petitioners also alleged that the NEET-UG exam was held that the NEET-UG exam was held, without following any procedures and was “a complete systemic failure,” with “no address verification and no CCTV camera monitoring” at any of the locations.Senior lawyer Narendra Hooda, appearing for some of the petitioners also informed the court that the investigation by Bihar police have found that the leak happened on May 4, prior to the deposit of question papers in the respective banks.”The statements of the accused indicate that the students gathered to memorize the question paper on the evening of May 4 and that means leak happened before May 4,” the apex court said.Hooda further argued that the manner of conducting the entire exam was brittle that it did not inspire confidence and that at every stage there was a possibility of leak.”They admit that there was a leak, they admitted that dissemination happened on WhatsApp,” he said.Hooda also pointed out that while the NTA published centre wise results of the exam, complying with the court’s direction, all India ranks were not given. Exam centre wise seriatim was also not published, he noted.The Supreme Court was hearing a batch of petitions by students who have appeared in the National eligibility cum entrance test (NEET UG) on May 5 and have sought re-test and proper investigation into the alleged paper leak.There are more than 50 petitions — including students, various educational institutions — filed in the case. A group of 20 students, who had appeared in the medical entrance exam, also sought a direction for scrapping of the NEET-UG 2024 exam and an apex court-monitored probe by the CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) or any other independent agency into the alleged irregularities in the test.One of the petitioners, Rajan, who had taken the medical entrance exam, filed the plea in the top court and alleged that his OMR sheet was swapped.The NEET-UG examination, conducted by NTA, is the process for getting admitted into MBBS, BDS, AYUSH and other related courses in government and private institutions across the country.
Source link
