NEET UG 2024 Supreme Court Hearing Updates: SC dismisses plea to cancel exams, NTA to declare revised result

'Out of over 4,000 NEET UG centres, the human error happened only at 0.3% centres and rest of the centres understood. So the system as whole has worked,' explained SG.

This year, the multiple-choice Physics question on atoms was based on two statements.

The first said: “Atoms are electrically neutral as they contain equal numbers of positive and negative charges.” The second statement said: “Atoms of each element are stable and emit their characteristic spectrum.”

As an MCQ question, candidates were asked to choose the “most appropriate answer” from four options - one: First is correct but second is incorrect; Two: first is incorrect but second is correct; Three: both first and second statements are correct; Four: both statements are incorrect.

The NEET UG counselling for the all Indian quota seats will start soon. The notification along with the registration dates will be announced at the MCC website.

The Bench of Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra also asked the National Testing Agency (NTA) to revise the NEET-UG results by correcting the error of awarding marks for two options to a Physics multiple choice question, and asked it to treat only one — option 4 — as the correct answer.

On Monday, the SC had asked the IIT-Delhi director to constitute a team of three experts to look at the question and inform it of the correct answer.

The Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Tuesday accused the opposition of trying to create "anarchy" and "civil unrest" using the NEET-UG issue and said with the Supreme Court verdict related to the controversy-ridden exam, "truth has prevailed".

The opposition should apologise to students and their parents for "misleading" them, Pradhan said as he announced that the final results for the medical entrance 2024 NEET-UG exam will be declared within two days according to the observations made by the Supreme Court.

The court on Tuesday dismissed the pleas seeking cancellation and re-test of the 2024 NEET-UG, holding that there was no evidence on record to conclude that it was "vitiated" on account of "systemic breach" of its sanctity.

The interim verdict, to be followed by a detailed and reasoned order, came as a shot in the arm for the embattled BJP-led NDA government and the National Testing Agency (NTA), which were facing strong criticism and protests, on streets and in Parliament, over alleged large-scale malpractices like question paper leak, fraud and impersonation in the prestigious test held on May 5.

The revised final results of the exam will be announced taking into account marks of a physics question, which the NTA said had two correct answers. The revised result likely to reduce the number of toppers as 44 out of 61 toppers had shared the top rank because of this.

- SC holds there is no evidence on record to conclude that NEET-UG 2024 was “vitiated” on account of “systemic breach” of its sanctity.
- SC, instead of reserving the judgement, dictates operative parts and says there is an urgent need to provide certainty and finality to the dispute which affects the career of over 2 million students.
- SC says data on record is not indicative of a systemic leak of question paper which would indicate a disruption of the sanctity of the examination.
- SC says ordering re-test would be replete with serious consequences for over 24 lakh students who appeared in the exam. * SC says ordering a re-test would cause disruption of admission schedule, have cascading effect on the course of medical education and impact availability of qualified medical professionals in the future.
- SC says directing a re-test would be seriously disadvantageous for the marginalised groups for whom reservation was made in allocation of seats.
- SC trashes submissions that leak was systemic in nature, and coupled with structural deficiencies, left the court with the only option of ordering re-test.
- SC says the fact that leak of NEET-UG 2024 question paper took place in Hazaribagh and Patna is not in dispute. * SC says if CBI probe reveals an increased number of beneficiaries, suitable action can be taken against such students.
- SC says no student, who is revealed to have been in this fraud or a is a beneficiary, would be entitled to claim any vested right in continuation of admission.
- SC accepts report of IIT Delhi experts on a controversial physics question, asks NTA to revise merit list accordingly.
- SC allows candidates, who have personal grievances, to move the respective HCs after withdrawing their pleas from apex court.

- PTI

The candidates immediately impacted by the decision offer a mixed reaction on the same. Since a leak has been admitted by both NTA, and the Top Court, some students raise concerns of improper filtration of malpractice. While the court stated clearly that the CBI investigation will continue and action will be taken corresponding to any new findings, students fear that any malpractice that has potentially gone undetected thus far is still a compromise of the fairness of their result. “We expected filtration if not a retest” says an aspirant when asked on her views on judgement.
While the nervousness around further revelation of malpractice pertains, students are also worried about the impact of the markings of the ambiguous question on their result. A student who obtained 608 marks in the previously announced results and wishes to remain unnamed told The Indian Express “I will lose 5 marks, which means a total of 603. Five marks is a lot of ranks.”
For an exam that forms the basis of admission into every medical college across the country, a change of every one mark, entails a change of multiple ranks.
Some students on the other hand are relieved over the said verdict. Suhani, an aspirant who scored 550 marks, mentioned that in their preparation of two or more years, students ‘build a certain momentum’. “To expect us to give the exam again after a break of two months would be unfair”. She also told us that many students are unsure of the exam being free of malpractice provided the cases that have come forth in states like Patna. However, students like Suhani who are satisfied with their result are relieved that they would not have to reappear for the exam and risk their present score to another.
With regard to the marking of the ambiguous question, she said “NTA took too long to decide”. Had the instructions on the right option been clearer, students would’ve been mentally prepared amidst the chaos and uncertainty around the exam.
Most students however are relieved that at least the admission and counselling for medical colleges would begin shortly, without delaying the academic calendar any further.

(With inputs from Adya Joshi)

The NTA has not yet announced the NEET UG revised result date.However, on July 23, the Education Minister said that it will be out in two days.

On Tuesday, after the Supreme Court verdict, Union Education minister Dharmendra Pradhan told reporters that the NTA would release a new merit list in two days. Welcoming the Supreme Court’s rejection of the demands for cancelling NEET-UG, Pradhan said: “Truth prevails, we welcome the order of the Supreme Court. We have said from the beginning, our priority is the students of the country… over the past two months, the government’s stand has been that there has been no large-scale breach. Today, in the Supreme Court, this was shown to be right.”

Keeping in line with the directions of the Supreme Court, the National Testing Agency (NTA) is expected to issue a revised merit list for the NEET undergraduate examination, a move that will affect 44 exam toppers who may see their ranks slip by at least 88 positions, if not more, The Indian Express has learned.

In the results announced on June 4, there were a record 67 candidates who had scored a perfect 720 marks and tied for the top spot. Of these, six topped due to being compensated with extra marks for time lost during the examination because of mistakes made by invigilators. Apart from that, as many as 44 made it to the top because they got an answer to a basic physics question wrong and received “grace marks” for it.

'The fact that the leak of NEET Ug 2024 took place at Hazaribagh, the state of Jharkhand and Patna is not in dispute,' says CJI

Keeping in line with the directions of the Supreme Court, the National Testing Agency (NTA) is expected to issue a revised merit list for the NEET undergraduate examination, a move that will affect 44 exam toppers who may see their ranks slip by at least 88 positions, if not more, The Indian Express has learned.

“The Court realises that directing a fresh NEET UG for the present year would be replete with serious consequences which will be for over 24 lakh students who appeared in NEET… and cause disruption of admission schedule, cascading effects on the course of medical education,” CJI Chandrachud said.

Read full report here

This year, a multiple-choice Physics question on atoms opened the floodgates for high scores. The question was based on two statements.

The first said: “Atoms are electrically neutral as they contain equal numbers of positive and negative charges.” The second statement said: “Atoms of each element are stable and emit their characteristic spectrum.”

As an MCQ question, candidates were asked to choose the “most appropriate answer” from four options: one: First is correct but second is incorrect; Two: first is incorrect but second is correct; Three: both first and second statements are correct; Four: both statements are incorrect.

No, the Supreme Court today announced that there will not be a NEET retest as 'ordering cancellation of the entire exam is neither justified on application of settled principles propounded by this court on the basis of material on record'

CJI states that only option 2 and 4 are mutually exclusive and cannot stand together. So, option 4 of Q19 of Physics to be treated as correct, as per the IIT Delhi report.

'Ordering cancellation of the entire exam is neither justified on application of settled principles propounded by this court on the basis of material on record,' CJI dictates.

'At the present stage there is absence of material on record to lead to conclusion that result of the exam is vitiated or that there is a systemic breach of the sanctity of th exam. Data on record is not indicative of a systemic leak of the question paper which would indicate a disruption of the sanctity of the exam,' CJI dictates.

'The fact that the leak of NEET Ug 2024 took place at Hazaribagh, the state of Jharkhand and Patna is not in dispute,' says CJI

The arguments have been heard and the judgemenet has been reserved, says CJI

'Petitioner state that the leak which took place during course of NEET UG exam was systemic in nature and coupled with the structural definciences the only course of action permissible would be to conduct a re-test,' CJI dictates.

The CJI led bench is currently dictating the verdict on whether or not there will be a NEET retest.

The bench comprising Chief Justice of India, DY Chandrachud, Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra has returned to the Court, and is now starting to dictate the verdict.

Supreme Court bench to come back after 5 minutes

While the Supreme Court usually concludes hearings till 4 pm, the Bench is still presiding over the NEET hearing even though it is well pass 4 pm. The CJI had earlier stated that he wishes to conclude the NEET hearings today.

Adv Matthew is now addressing the Bench after he was earlier asked to leave the Court by the CJI after allegations of interfering Adv Hooda.

'It is clear that on night of May 4 students were asked to solve the papers, memorized and even then failed. Thus it shows that for leak adequate timeline is needed and a brief timeline is not possible. There is a video of the man when he was not arrested and he says that leak happened even before the papers went in the trunks,' says Adv Hegde

'Sanjeev Mukhiya not only has a history in leaks, but is now a big investor in these (paper) leaks,' says Adv Hegde

Adv Sanjay Hegde is now addressing the Supreme Court bench

'Why will the accused admit that the leak was widespread and they have a few more post-dated cheques?' questions Adv Hooda.

While Adv Hooda claimed that the question paper was transported through e-rockshaw, the Solicitor General has argued that it was the OMR sheets and not the question papers.

'OMR sheets and question papers are in the same envelope,' Adv Hooda strikes back.

'In Rajasthan centre, the NTA claims that they got to know two hours that the wrong medium question paper was given. How was that not registered in their CCTV?' argues Adv Hooda.

'The Principal is on record.. she says not a minute delay.. canara bank paper was given.. when they realised NTA was contacted and NTA said let them attempt canara bank.. it is on record and the video can be played now,' argues Adv Hooda.

In a hearing before the SC, the CBI said that the leak occurred at Hazaribagh’s Oasis School on May 5 — the day of the exam. It also confirmed that the paper was also solved in the same school.

“We have CCTV footage to show that the main accused Pankaj Kumar alias Aditya has accessed the strongroom in the Oasis School. The front door was locked in front of everybody and the key was with the Centre Superintendent. However, the inside bolt of the rear door was kept deliberately open by the Centre Superintendent as well as the city coordinator as part of the conspiracy to allow somebody to enter. Accused Pankaj Kumar enters the campus at 7.12 am and sits in the staff room adjacent to the strong room. So, at 7.53 am the front door of the string room was locked… from the rear door at 8.02 am, this man entered from behind and left at 9.23 am,” the CBI said.

Read the full report here

'Whether there is a systematic failure or not, they will come to this conclusion only after the investigation is complete,' says Adv Hooda.

'We cannot say that the leak has been confined to Hazaribagh and Patna as the investigation is ongoing, but for now it is confined to Patna and Hazaribagh,' says CJI.

The CBI officer has used the word 'so far' they have not gone beyond Patna and Hazaribagh, says Adv Hooda.

'Since the mobile phones have still not been recovered, we cannot say that the leak did not take place beyong Patna and Hazaribagh,' argues Adv Hooda.

'The main mastermind Sanjeev Mukhiya who was involved in 5 paper leak cases yet to be arrested,' alleges Adv Hooda.

On a counsel requesting that students from Naxal and remote areas be exempted in case of a retest, the CJI has argued that the Supreme Court has 'to use same yardstick for everybody' and the rule should be the same for everyone.

The Supreme Court bench has suggested that option 4 of Q19 of Physics section should be treated as correct, and thus the bonus marks should be taken back, but negative marking (-1) should not be applied for this one question.

'There was a faint attempt to allege bias on IIT Madras director.. but he is member of general body who takes call on policy decisions. He did not attend any meetings,' submits SG to SC.

'While attempting this question, she was faced with two situations. If she would not have attempted the question, it would have bene -4 for her, so she would have scored 716. If the current choice is deemed as correct she will get -5, she will be scoring 715. This is lesser than what she would have scored if she didn't attempt the question. Also, there is no whisper that the book has been changed. The rules of the game cannot be changed mid-way,' says another Counsel.

'The larger portion of students gave right answer'

'The question here is not of rote learning but of understanding,' says Supreme Court Bench

'The wrong answer published by NCERT since years...the revised version was brought in from November 2022 and students had already started preparing for NEET by then,' says SG.

Solicitor General labels Physics Q19 as a 'trick' question instead of ambigous question

'I have received several emails and I don't mean to rely on them, but the old books are available in the market...' says SG

The Solicitor General states that the leak was localised

'After examination was over, some student either uploaded the question paper himself or gave it to someone. In order to hide their identity, they masked the unique number,' says Solicitor General.

Is there any forensic evidence that the Telegram paper was in the same pattern as the actual question paper, or whether the same format/font was used, asks the Bench from Solicitor general.

'One of our officers also joined the group just to collect evidence. The account was created on May 6 and uploaded on May 7 and manipulated to show as if before May 5,' claims Solicitor General.

The fact that students got only a few hours to rlearn the answers and that shows in their results. 'They were only two students who got 573 and 581,' says CJI trying to prove that the paper leak took place on the morning of May 5.

'Beneficiary figures will not cross 155. They did not even know how to burn these papers you see..they were just novices,' argues Solicitor General

If we are ordering a retest, students must know that they have to start preparing and if we do not then that they should also know. We cannot keep them hanging, hence we have to wrap the hearing today; it is not correct from institutional perspective also,' CJI tells Solicitor General, who then assures that he will only take 2-25 minutes more.

The bench comprising Chief Justice of India, DY Chandrachud, Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra has resumed hearing nearly 40 pleas related to the alleged irregularities on the NEET UG 2024. 

The CBI officer, till now, has proved in court that the paper leak was not widespread and was limited to Hazaribagh, and then later transmitted to one centre in Patna. Through this, the CBI, Centre and NTA have tried to prove that the paper leak was not widespread and limited to a couple of centres.

The Bench comprising Chief Justice of India, DY Chandrachud, Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra will now re-convene after lunch, i.e. at 2 pm.

'Now we know that there was a leak very much and that it originated in Hazaribagh and was transmitted to Patna,' says CJI.