Supreme Court Refuses to Delay NEET-UG 2024 Counseling Amidst Controversy, Orders NTA and Centre to Respond to Irregularities Allegations
NEET-UG 2024 Row: Supreme Court Declines Petition to Postpone Counseling, Sets Hearing Date for July 8 to Address Examination Concerns
New Delhi, 21-06-2024 : The Supreme Court on Friday declined to postpone the counseling for the NEET-UG 2024 examination, scheduled to begin on July 6, despite controversies surrounding the exam held on May 5. The court emphasized that the counseling process is ongoing and not a straightforward procedure. The apex court issued notices to the National Testing Agency (NTA), the Centre, and other parties in response to a petition seeking the exam’s cancellation due to alleged irregularities.
A vacation bench consisting of Justices Vikram Nath and SVN Bhatti has set a hearing for July 8, alongside other pending petitions addressing the alleged issues in the exam’s conduct. The petitioners’ counsel requested a two-day pause in the counseling process until the court hears all related pleas on July 8. However, the bench clarified that the counseling process would commence as planned on July 6, stating, “Counseling does not mean open and shut. It is a process. That process commences on July 6.”
When asked about the duration of the first round of counseling, it was noted that it would last approximately a week. The court instructed the counsel for the NTA, the Centre, and other respondents to file their responses to the plea within two weeks.
Additionally, the bench addressed a separate application seeking specific directions for the NTA. The applicant’s counsel raised concerns about a re-test scheduled for June 23 and accused the NTA of withholding critical information. The bench requested the NTA’s counsel to respond to this application by July 8.
On June 13, the Centre informed the Supreme Court that it had canceled the decision to award grace marks to 1,563 NEET-UG 2024 candidates and instead offered them an option to retake the exam on June 23. During the hearing, the applicant’s counsel highlighted the stress on candidates needing to re-take the exam. The bench remarked, “Everything can be set aside when there is a chance of setting aside the May 5 main examination.”
The bench also considered a petition requesting the NTA to allow a candidate with a medical condition to take the re-test. The petitioner had previously approached the Telangana High Court, where the NTA had promised to decide on his request by the evening. The Supreme Court directed the NTA to make a decision on the representation by 4 p.m. and to notify the petitioner via email.
The Supreme Court, while addressing separate pleas on the NEET-UG 2024 examination on June 18, stressed that even minimal negligence in conducting the examination must be thoroughly investigated. The May 5 exam, held across 4,750 centers, saw around 24 lakh candidates participate. Results were anticipated on June 14 but were declared early on June 4 due to quicker-than-expected evaluation.
Allegations of irregularities have sparked protests in various cities and political confrontations. Notably, 67 students achieved a perfect score of 720, a first in the NTA’s history, with six students from a single center in Haryana’s Faridabad, raising suspicions of irregularities. It has been suggested that grace marks may have contributed to these top scores.
The NEET-UG examination, conducted by the NTA, serves as the gateway for admissions to MBBS, BDS, AYUSH, and other related courses in both government and private institutions nationwide.
