NEET-UG 2024 exam row: Didn't cancel test as there was no systematic breach, says Supreme Court

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The Supreme Court on Friday said it did not cancel the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test- Undergraduate (NEET-UG) 2024 examination despite concerns of paper leak because there was no "systematic breach of its sanctity", news agency PTI reported.

In its detailed reasons for the order, which was pronounced on July 23, a bench of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra said the National Testing Agency (NTA) must "stop its flip-flop" which was noticed this year as it does not serve the interest of students.

The bench issued a slew of directions and expanded the remit of the Centre-appointed panel headed by former Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chief K Radhakrishnan to review NTA's functioning and recommend exam reforms.

It said as the remit of the panel has been expanded, the committee would submit its report by September 30 on various measures to rectify deficiencies in the examination system.

The bench said the panel headed by Radhakrishnan should consider framing a standard operating procedure for the adoption of technological advancements to strengthen the examination system. It further stated that the issues which have come up during the NEET-UG examination should be rectified by the Centre.

On July 23, the top court dismissed the pleas seeking the cancellation and re-test of the controversy-ridden exam, holding that there was no evidence on record to conclude that it was "vitiated" on account of "systemic breach" of its sanctity.

The court, while pronouncing the order, said its detailed reasons would follow. The interim verdict came as a shot in the arm for the embattled National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government as well as NTA, which were facing strong criticism and protests, on streets and in the Parliament, over the alleged large-scale malpractices such as question paper leak, fraud and impersonation in the prestigious test held on May 5.

More than 23 lakh students gave the entrance test this year for admissions to Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS), Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS), Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Sowa Rigpa, and Homoeopathy (AYUSH) and other related courses.

(With PTI inputs)