The Supreme Court announced today that the NEET UG matters will now be taken up on July 18. The top court was scheduled to resume hearing alleged irregularities in NEET UG 2024 and the demand for a re-test.
On Wednesday, the Centre informed the Supreme Court that data analytics of the NEET-UG 2024 results found “no abnormality” and showed “that there is neither any indication of mass malpractice nor a localised set of candidates being benefitted leading to abnormal scores.”
During the first hearing on July 8, a bench led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud inquired about the actions taken by the Centre and the National Testing Agency (NTA) to identify students who benefited from the alleged wrongdoing. The apex court directed the Centre and NTA to submit affidavits by July 10 (5 pm).
“The fact that the sanctity of the examination has been breached… compromised, is beyond doubt. Now the question is how widespread is the breach,” Chandrachud stated while hearing petitions both supporting and opposing the cancellation of the May 5 NEET UG exams over paper leak allegations.
“If we are not able to identify candidates who are guilty of wrongdoing, the retest has to be ordered. If you can’t distinguish the grain from the chaff, tainted from the untainted, it has to be ordered…,” said Chandrachud.
The CJI-led Supreme Court bench expressed that it may be premature to assume, unless the government and its agencies provide evidence, that all 23 lakh students or a substantial number of them were involved in the fraud.
“For all we know, a large number of students may be honest…,” the CJI remarked, even as the bench conveyed its reluctance to cancel the exam.
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