NEET UG 2024: Candidates demand re-exam for all, deeper probe into alleged irregularities

NEW DELHI: The National Testing Agency (NTA) informed the Supreme Court on Thursday that the scorecards of 1,563 candidates who received "grace marks" in the 2024 National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (Undergraduate) will be cancelled. These candidates, who were awarded grace marks to compensate for the lost time during the NEET-UG, will be given the opportunity to reappear for the exam.The re-examination is scheduled for June 23, with results expected before June 30.
A bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta heard the NTA's announcement that a committee has been formed to review the results of these candidates. The Committee decided to cancel the scorecards of the 1,563 candidates and provide them with the option to take a re-test. The Supreme Court reiterated that it will not stay the NEET-UG 2024 counselling process, emphasising that the counselling will proceed as planned.
The Supreme Court will continue hearing the petitions on July 8. The Court acknowledged the NTA's statement that the re-test for the 1,563 students will be officially notified today, and the results will be declared before June 30, ensuring that the counselling scheduled to begin in July is not disrupted.
The Supreme Court's recent verdict on the NEET UG 2024 examination has sparked diverse reactions among students across the country. The decision to cancel the scorecards of 1,563 NEET UG candidates who received grace marks and offer them a re-examination on June 23 has been met with both support and criticism. Here is the perspective of NEET aspirants on the SC ruling and exam fairness.
Re-exam should be for all aspirants: Akhil Tiwari
One vocal critic of the decision is Akhil Tiwari, a 17-year-old student from Uttar Pradesh, who took the NEET UG exam. Akhil expressed deep concerns about the fairness of the entire process, highlighting that it’s not just the 1,563 candidates who deserve another chance but this opportunity should be there for all students who appeared for the exam. "As they are retaking the exam, it should include all the students and not only 1,563. We all prepared for it, but due to this year's unfair checking of exam sheets, many couldn’t achieve their dream," he argues.
Reflecting on the hardships faced by medical aspirants, Akhil says, "A medical student gives a lot to study and prepare for this exam, but what happened in this year's NEET examination literally killed the dreams of many students. Candidates took their lives even before the examination and on the result day too."
Akhil recounts his own experience at Dayanand Bachhrawan PG College, where he sat for the NEET UG exam. He reported significant issues, stating that the teachers did not provide the full allotted time of 3 hours and 20 minutes. Instead, they collected papers after only 3 hours. He also observed widespread cheating, with invigilators neglecting their duties. "At the centre where I was sitting, I saw students cheating during exams, and teachers weren't paying attention as they were busy sitting at their places," he notes.
Akhil also feels that allegations of a paper leak might be true. Pointing to irregularities in Bihar where multiple top ranks reportedly came from a single centre, he says, "What happened in Bihar suggests that the exam was already leaked. Otherwise, how is it possible that from a single centre they will get 4-5 AIR-1?”
Akhil concludes with a plea for fairness and transparency, asking for either the cancellation of NEET 2024 or a chance for all students to reappear. "My request is just to cancel NEET 2024 or let all the students appear again. We need it to be fair and equal, that's it," he emphasised.
Supreme Court’s decision partial: Deepshi Gawri
Deepshi Gawri, a NEET aspirant from Amritsar, voices her frustration, highlighting several issues plaguing this year's examination.
"I think the Supreme Court's decision on removing grace marks for 1563 students is partial," Deepshi says, emphasising the need for further investigation into the actual number of affected students. "There should be a separate committee to verify if it's really 1563 students or more, which NTA might be concealing," she adds, calling for transparency in the process.
Deepshi raised concerns about the integrity of the exam too, pointing to alleged paper leaks and discrepancies in results. "There are students who scored higher marks in the OMR sheet but received lower marks in the result sheet. Justice must be served to these students," she strongly recommends.
She also highlights significant disparities in NEET UG 2024 rank allocations compared to previous years, suggesting unfair practices. "In 2023, a score of 605 translated to rank 26,000, but in 2024, rank for the same score is 76,000, a 300% increase. This points to irregularities that warrant a thorough investigation by the CBI," Deepshi informs.
Expressing personal anguish, Deepshi disclosed her own experience. "I studied the whole year and scored 621 marks. Based on last year's trends, I should have a rank around 17,000, but I'm placed at 57,000. This is injustice," she said.
Concluding her statement, Deepshi articulated a loss of trust in the NTA and called for comprehensive reforms. "We have lost trust in the NTA after so many irregularities. Please replace NTA and conduct a re-NEET for fairness," she pleaded.
Irregularities have marred every aspect of NEET exam: Apul Saini
Apul Saini, a determined NEET aspirant from Delhi, has joined the chorus of voices criticising the recent developments surrounding NEET UG 2024. Expressing his disappointment and concern, Apul emphasises the need for comprehensive action in the aftermath of the Supreme Court's decision.
"There is no use in conducting NEET UG exams for only 1563 students," Apul asserts, echoing widespread sentiments among aspirants who believe the current measures are insufficient to address the scope of issues raised.
Pointing to pervasive irregularities, Apul highlights concerns ranging from exam centre mismanagement to alleged instances of paper leaks. "Irregularities have marred every aspect of the examination process, from exam centres to the questionable increase in marks under the guise of awarding grace marks," he vents out.
Demanding accountability and fairness, Apul calls for a re-examination that encompasses all NEET UG aspirants. "A re-exam for all aspirants is necessary to restore trust and ensure that every candidate has an equal opportunity based on merit," he points out.
SC-monitored transparent investigation essential: Parnava Roy
Parnava Roy, a dedicated NEET UG aspirant from Kolkata, has voiced his concerns amidst the ongoing controversy surrounding the examination's integrity. "I've qualified NEET UG, and with a score of over 500 marks and I consider myself a serious candidate," Parnava says, highlighting his academic achievements including an impressive 88.75% in ISC and 94.6% in ICSE.
Parnava supports the Honourable Supreme Court's decision to remove grace marks awarded by the NTA while questioning the extent of irregularities. "The NTA's claim of discrepancies limited to one centre contradicts the awarding of grace marks to 1563 students. This discrepancy raises concerns that the actual number of affected candidates could be much higher," he points out.
Expressing dismay over the allegations of paper leaks, Parnava underscores its demoralising impact on students and the public's trust in the system. "The diminishing faith in the examination process is alarming for a country like India," he added, stressing the need for decisive action by authorities.
While acknowledging the ongoing challenges, Parnava remains optimistic about the Supreme Court's role in bringing clarity and fairness. "A transparent investigation monitored by the Supreme Court is essential. Only through detailed evidence can we ensure justice and prevent undeserving candidates from securing seats meant for the deserving," he opined.
As Parnava Roy continues to prepare for his future attempts, his call for a thorough investigation resonates with many aspirants seeking equity and integrity in the NEET UG examination process.
Re-NEET for all centres where irregularities were observed: Atul Sharma
In his second attempt at NEET UG, scoring 603 marks with a rank of 77K, Atul Sharma from Ayodhya expresses discontent with the Supreme Court's recent verdict. Citing several reasons, he questions the transparency and fairness of the examination process.
Firstly, he criticises the National Testing Agency (NTA) for initially stating that only students from Rajasthan would take the exam, only to later acknowledge paper leaks in multiple centres, indicating inconsistent communication.
Secondly, he raises doubts about the discrepancy in numbers. While NTA acknowledges 1563 affected students across five centres, the actual impact might be greater, involving more centres and students, he suspects.
Thirdly, he questions the decision-making process behind awarding grace marks without consulting affected students, emphasising the need for transparency and students' right to information.
Atul also challenges the authenticity of claims that the papers were not leaked, referring to FIRs filed in Patna, Bihar, and questioning whether recovered papers and statements were disregarded.
Moreover, he highlights reports from a centre where seven students secured AIR 1, attributing it to delayed paper distribution as admitted by the centre's principal.
Demanding accountability, Atul suggests reopening the reporting window and conducting re-examinations at centres with delayed timings and where irregularities were reported, including the centre with seven AIR 1 candidates. Alternatively, he advocates for a nationwide re-NEET to ensure fairness for all aspirants. "It's only fair to re-examine all students, not just a few. We all deserve a chance to prove ourselves under fair conditions," he states firmly.
Swayamshree Tripathy Demands Re-NEET for Fairness
Talking about the Supreme Court's decision to withdraw grace marks from 1563 NEET UG 2024 candidates, Swayamshree Tripathy from Gorakhpur believes this action will marginally affect everyone's ranks by approximately 1,000 places, thus failing to address systemic issues. She accuses the NTA of concealing broader irregularities under the guise of addressing only these specific cases.
Tripathy insists that the NTA must acknowledge and investigate instances of paper leaks and other malpractices reported during the exam. "Regarding today's decision, I would say if the grace marks of 1,563 students are withdrawn then it won't impact much as the rank would decrease by nearly 1k for everyone, which won't help to a greater extent! NTA is hiding all sorts of things in the name of these 1,563 students," she says.
She vehemently advocates for a comprehensive re-examination (Re-NEET) for all candidates, emphasising that many deserving students, including herself, faced significant disruptions such as biometric registration failures due to network issues, causing substantial time loss. "Reneet must be done for all, not only for 1,563 students! As students who paid money and scored well are hidden, it's better to conduct Reneet for all the candidates to ensure fair results! Even I faced time loss while giving a biometric thumb impression; I lost nearly 30 minutes coming downstairs just because the network was down in that area! So my attendance status was showing absent; they called me downstairs to take my thumb impression; it got successful on the third attempt. I wasted nearly 30 to 45 minutes in this respect. What about me? Even when I mailed NTA, they ignored that matter," she laments.
Her statements highlight ongoing concerns among NEET UG aspirants about procedural fairness and integrity in the examination system.
Grace marks shouldn’t be allowed in crucial exams like NEET: Kashvi Arora
Kashvi Arora, another dedicated NEET aspirant from Delhi expresses deep concern over the fairness of this year's examination. "I believe grace marks shouldn't be given in exams like NEET or JEE, as they undermine the efforts of deserving candidates," she asserts. She argues that the integrity of these exams is crucial as they determine the future of medical aspirants responsible for people's lives.
Regarding the Supreme Court's decision to allow a re-examination for candidates awarded grace marks or in centres where cheating was reported, Kashvi welcomes the move as a step towards transparency. "It's essential for the truth to come out, especially when seats in government medical colleges are at stake," she remarks.