NO SCAM, NO RE- EXAMINATION : SUPREME COURT ON NEET EXAM.

The Supreme Court of India has adjourned the hearing of a plea alleging manipulation of Optical Mark Recognition (OMR) sheets by officers of the National Testing Agency (NTA) in the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test - Undergraduate (NEET-UG) exam. The case involves serious allegations of irregularities in one of India's most prestigious medical entrance examinations.

The Plea and Initial Court Response

A vacation bench of Justices C.T. Ravikumar and Manoj Misra questioned the petitioner's counsel on the decision to approach the Supreme Court under Article 32 of the Constitution. The counse, claiming to be a topper of the NEET-UG exam, responded by alleging that the respondents had audaciously swapped his OMR sheet. He mentioned that similar petitions were filed before the High Court.

Petitioner's Request and Court's Observations

The petitioner requested the Court to allow him to appear in the NEET-UG 2024 re-test, conducted on June 23, 2024. This re-test was organised for 1563 students who were awarded grace marks due to discrepancies. However, Justice C.T. Ravikumar pointed out that the re-test had already occurred. The counsel suggested that relief could still be granted if the Supreme Court ordered another re-test.

Previous Adjournments and Current Proceedings

Previously, the Court had adjourned the plea to this week, asking the petitioner to withdraw a similar petition from the High Court. The petitioner sought additional time to file an affidavit explaining the pendency of a similar writ petition. Today, the counsel requested two more days to submit this affidavit.

Court's Decision to Adjourn

Ultimately, the Court decided to adjourn the matter for two weeks without making any observations on the petition. Justice Ravikumar suggested that the petitioner might benefit from the outcomes of other related cases listed for July 8. However, he refused to list the matter for July 9, firmly stating that expecting a re-test for an individual was unrealistic.

Allegations and Investigations into NEET-UG 2024

The NEET-UG 2024 exam, conducted by the NTA on May 5, 2024, has faced multiple allegations, including paper leaks, award of grace marks due to time loss, and various other discrepancies. Several petitions have been filed in the Supreme Court and high courts seeking judicial intervention.

Court's Stance on Counselling and Seat Allotment

Despite the ongoing legal challenges, the Supreme Court refused to defer the counselling and seat allotment process, scheduled to begin on July 6. The Court observed that admissions would be subject to the final outcomes of the petitions and if the exams are invalidated, the counselling process would also be affected.

Government and CBI Involvement

In response to the allegations, the Central Government entrusted the investigation of the NEET-UG 2024 irregularities to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on June 22. The Ministry of Education acknowledged reports of irregularities, cheating, and impersonation in the NEET-UG exam held on May 5.

Re-Test for Affected Students

On June 23, a re-test was conducted for 1563 students who were awarded grace marks. However, only 813 students, approximately 52%, attended the re-test, while the rest remained absent.

Conclusion

The Supreme Court's decision to adjourn the hearing highlights the complexity and gravity of the allegations surrounding the NEET-UG 2024 exam. The case, titled 

"SABAREESH RAJAN Versus NATIONAL TESTING AGENCY (NTA) AND ORS.," Diary No. 27585-2024, will continue to be closely monitored as the investigation unfolds and further judicial decisions are made.