SC verdict on NEET-UG 2024: Detailed judgment on re-test pleas expected today

The Supreme Court is expected to pronounce the detailed judgement today giving reasons for trashing petitions seeking cancellation and re-test of the controversy-ridden NEET-UG exam.

A bench led by Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, along with Justices J.B. Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, delivered an interim verdict last month on a batch of petitions seeking a re-test of NEET-UG 2024 to preserve the exam’s sanctity following the allegations of paper leaks.

Over 23 lakh students appeared for NEET-UG 2024, vying for admission to prestigious courses like MBBS, BDS, and AYUSH. The exam, held on May 5, became controversial due to reported large-scale malpractices. The NTA and the NDA government faced severe backlash, with protests erupting both on the streets and in Parliament.

The Supreme Court heard submissions from a battery of lawyers, including Solicitor General Tushar Mehta for the Centre and National Testing Agency, and senior advocates Narender Hooda, Sanjay Hegde, and Mathews Nedumpara representing the petitioners.

Given the urgency and impact on millions of students, the bench, instead of reserving its verdict, reconvened late in the evening to dictate its order. Chief Justice Chandrachud, in the interim order, noted that the data provided by the NTA and others did not substantiate claims of a systemic leak or widespread fraud sufficient to invalidate the exam results.

While acknowledging the confirmed leaks in Hazaribagh and Patna, the court highlighted the need for a nuanced approach, distinguishing between tainted and untainted students.

Ordering a re-test, the court opined, would have severe repercussions, disrupting the admission schedule, affecting medical education, and disadvantaging marginalized groups benefiting from reservation policies.

The bench concluded that the malpractices, though present, were not pervasive enough to warrant cancelling the entire exam.

The bench said ordering cancellation of the entire exam was not justified on application of “settled principles propounded by this court on the basis of material on record”.

The court also ruled on a disputed physics question in the exam, accepting the expert report from IIT Delhi, which confirmed a single correct answer.

“In view of the experts’ determination, we have no manner of doubt with regard to the correct option… we accept the IIT Delhi report and accordingly the NTA shall re-tally the NEET UG result on the basis that option 4 represents the only correct answer to the question,” it said.

Meanwhile, the CBI has filed its first charge sheet in the paper leak case naming 13 people as accused.

Among those named in the first charge sheet are Nitish Kumar, Amit Anand, Sikander Yadvendu, Ashutosh Kumar-1, Roshan Kumar, Manish Prakash, Ashutosh Kumar-2, Akhilesh Kumar, Avdesh Kumar, Anurag Yadav, Abhishek Kumar, Shivnandan Kumar, and Ayush Raj.

A CBI spokesperson said in a statement on Thursday, “CBI has utilized advanced forensic techniques, artificial intelligence technology, CCTV footage, tower location analysis, etc. to gather evidence against the accused.”