Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi: The Central Government has filed an affidavit with the Supreme Court, asserting that there is no need to re-conduct the NEET-UG 2024 examination in the absence of proof of large-scale irregularities. The Union Ministry of Education emphasized that scrapping the exam would “seriously jeopardise” the futures of the many honest candidates who took the test.
The affidavit stated, “It is also submitted that at the same time, in the absence of any proof of any large-scale breach of confidentiality in a pan-India examination, it would not be rational to scrap the entire examination and the results already declared.”
In response to concerns about the integrity of NEET-UG 2024, the Union government informed the Supreme Court that it has requested the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to conduct a thorough probe into the alleged irregularities. The National Testing Agency (NTA) conducts NEET-UG for admissions to MBBS, BDS, AYUSH, and other related courses in government and private institutions.
The integrity of the NEET-UG examination has come under scrutiny following allegations of paper leaks and other irregularities, which have sparked widespread protests and political friction. On June 11, the Supreme Court, while hearing a plea to hold the exam afresh, noted concerns about the sanctity of NEET-UG and sought responses from the Centre and the NTA. However, the court refused to stay the counselling of the successful candidates.
Chief Justice DY Chandrachud is scheduled to hear a batch of petitions on July 8, seeking various forms of relief, including a re-test and a comprehensive investigation into the alleged malpractices. On Thursday, over 50 successful Gujarat-based NEET-UG candidates moved the top court, seeking a directive to restrain the Centre and the NTA from cancelling the controversy-ridden exam. The plea, filed by Sidhharth Komal Singla and 55 other students through lawyer Devendra Singh, argued that re-conducting the exam would be “unreasonable and harsh” for honest students and would infringe on the Right to Education under Article 14 of the Constitution.
The NEET-UG examination controversy has emerged amidst scrutiny of other competitive exams in India, with the government postponing the NEET-PG examination and cancelling the UGC-NET due to alleged irregularities. The CBI has already made six arrests in connection with the NEET-UG paper leak case, underscoring the seriousness of the issue.
The Supreme Court’s upcoming decision will be crucial in determining the next steps for NEET-UG 2024 and ensuring the fairness and integrity of the examination process.
