Indian Academy of Pediatrics demands CBI probe into NEET ‘irregularities’

Saying that this year’s NEET results are ‘questionable’ and the testing and evaluation are ‘suspicious’, the Indian Academy of Pediatrics has sought a CBI inquiry

The Indian Academy of Pediatrics (IAP) has demanded a Central Bureau Investigation (CBI) probe into the alleged irregularities in this year’s National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (Undergraduate) and called for a re-examination to ensure a fair evaluation process.

“The NEET UG 2024 has 67 candidates securing 1st rank with a perfect score of 720 which is quite questionable to the data and statistics provided by NTA [National Testing Agency] for the past few years,” Dr G V Basavaraja, IAP national president, told The Indian Express.

“This is fraud. A lot of students have put in efforts for the examination and the results are unfair especially as the number of students qualifying the NEET UG 2024 examination is quite high in comparison to the past few years. This difference stands in lakhs,” Dr Basavaraja explained.

While 23,33,297 candidates appeared for NEET this year, around 13,16,268 qualified, as compared to around 11,45,976 candidates in 2023 and around 9,93,069 in 2022. In 2023, two students secured the first rank with a total score of 720 followed by candidates with scores of 716 and 715. In 2022, one student secured the first rank with a total score of 715 followed by the next three ranks with a score of 715.

The NEET results announced on June 4 drew criticism after 67 students secured the first rank with a total score of 720/720, followed by candidates who scored 718 or 719, which many said was improbable.

“Hence the IAP has demanded a clarification as the NEET UG result press release does not contain the marks obtained of the 1st 100 rankers…just the percentile obtained by these students,” Dr Basavaraja said. He pointed out that this was not the practice followed in the previous years. The scorecard contained marks and the percentile scored by the first 50 ranks for that year, respectively.

Dr Basavaraja said that in 2022, around four candidates secured 715 marks with the same percentile but there was just one candidate who secured the first rank and the remaining three candidates secured the following ranks. The first rankers in 2021, 2022 and 2023 had a perfect score of 720 followed by the next ranks securing a score of 716 or 715, which is understandable considering the scoring pattern of the NEET UG examination, Dr Basavaraja added.

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He pointed out that each question contains four marks with the deduction leading to one mark lost for the incorrect answer which is a total loss of five marks per incorrect question.

“But surprisingly this year the following ranks had a score total of 718 and 719 which does not fulfil the scoring criteria and makes the testing and evaluation suspicious. The NTA mentions that compensatory marks were allotted on account of loss of time. The examination guidelines do not mention such rules. The allotted compensatory marks have led to an unprecedented increase in the cut-off. This additional rule should have been disclosed before the examination was conducted,” Dr Yogesh Parikh, IAP secretary general, said in an official statement released Wednesday.

The IAP is the second largest organisation of paediatricians worldwide, dedicated to the comprehensive well-being of children. It represents over 45,000 paediatricians across India and has a robust network comprising 32 state branches, 337 district and city branches, one foreign branch, and 30 subspecialty chapters and interest groups across five zones of the country.

Anuradha Mascarenhas

Anuradha Mascarenhas is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With a career spanning three decades, she is one of the most respected voices in Indian journalism regarding healthcare, science and environment and research developments. She also takes a keen interest in covering women's issues . Professional Background Education: A gold medalist in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a Master’s degree in Literature. Author: She authored the biography At The Wheel Of Research, which chronicles the life and work of Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, the former Chief Scientist at the WHO. Key Focus: She combines scientific accuracy with storytelling, translating complex medical research into compelling public and human-interest narratives. Awards and Recognition Anuradha has won several awards including the Press Council of India's national award for excellence in journalism under the gender based reporting category in 2019 and the Laadli Media award (gender sensitivity -2024). A recipient of the Lokmat journalism award (gender category-2022), she was also shortlisted for the RedInk awards for excellence in journalism-2021. Her debut book At The Wheel Of Research, an exclusive biography of Dr Soumya Swaminathan the inaugural chief scientist of World Health Organisation was also nominated in the Popular Choice Category of JK Paper AUTHER awards. She has also secured competitive fellowships including the Laadli Media Fellowship (2022), the Survivors Against TB – New Research in TB Media Fellowship (2023) and is part of the prestigious 2025 India Cohort of the WomenLift Health Leadership Journey.” Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) 1. Cancer & Specialized Medical Care "Tata Memorial finds way to kill drug-resistant cancer cells" (Nov 26, 2025): Reporting on a breakthrough for triple-negative breast cancer, one of the most aggressive forms of the disease. Discipline, diet and purpose; How a 97-year-old professor defies ageing'' (Nov 15, 2025) Report about Prof Gururaj Mutalik, the first Head of Department at Pune's B J Government Medical College who at 97 credits his longevity to healthy habits and a strong sense of purpose. 2. Environmental Health (The "Breathless Pune" Series) Long-term exposure even to 'moderate' air leads to chronic heart, lung, kidney issues" (Nov 26, 2025): Part of an investigative series highlighting that even "safe" pollution levels are damaging to vital organs. "For every 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 level, there was 6-8% jump in medicine sales" (Nov 23, 2025): Using commercial data to prove the direct link between air quality and respiratory illnesses in Pune. 3. Lifestyle & Wellness News "They didn't let cancer, diabetes and heart disease stop them from travelling" (Dec 22, 2025): A collaborative piece featuring survivors who share practical tips for traveling with chronic conditions. At 17, his BP shot up to 200/120 mmHG; Lancet study flags why child and teen hypertension doubled between 2000 and 2020'' (Nov 12,2025)--A report that focusses on 17-year-old-boy's hypertensive crisis and reflects the rising global trend of high blood pressure among children and adolescents. 4. Scientific Recognition & Infrastructure For promoting sci-comm, gender diversity: IUCAA woman prof highlighted in Nature" (Nov 25, 2025): Covering the global recognition of Indian women scientists in gender studies and physics. Pune researchers find a spiral galaxy like the Milky Way from early universe'' (December 3, 2025)- A report on how Indian researchers discovered a massive galaxy that existed when the universe was just 1.5 billion years old , one of the earliest to have been observed so far. Signature Beat: Health, Science & Women in Leadership Anuradha is known for her COVID-19 reportage, where she was one of the first journalists to provide detailed insights into the Covishield and Covaxin trials. She has a dedicated interest in gender diversity in health and science, often profiling women researchers who are breaking the "leaky pipeline" in STEM fields. Her writing style is scrupulous, often featuring interviews with top-tier scientists and health experts from various institutions. ... Read More

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