Supreme Court questions NEET UG 2024 validity amid allegations of paper leak and irregularities

The Supreme Court commenced hearings today on a series of petitions concerning the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) UG 2024, focusing on allegations of exam irregularities and calls for a re-test. The bench, comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud, and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, is set to evaluate 38 pleas related to the medical entrance examination.

The controversy arose following allegations of a leaked paper affecting the integrity of the NEET UG 2024 exam, which was conducted nationwide on May 5. Recently, the Central Government and the National Testing Agency (NTA) defended the exam's validity, arguing against its cancellation without concrete evidence of widespread breach of confidentiality.

Responding to concerns, the NTA disclosed that 1,563 candidates had their grace marks revoked on June 13, providing them the choice to opt for a re-test or forfeit the compensatory marks awarded for time loss during the exam. This decision came amidst protests from students and organizations, citing anomalies in the marking system and disproportionate representation of high-scorers from specific regions or exam centers.

The NEET UG 2024 results, declared ahead of schedule on June 4, raised further questions as the NTA awarded full marks to numerous candidates, leading to suspicions of favoritism and systemic irregularities.