The Supreme Court has issued notice to the Centre, NTA and others to reply within two weeks on a plea seeking a CBI probe into the alleged malpractices in the controversial NEET UG examination. The petition claiming NEET paper leak has demanded that the matter should be investigated by the CBSE. A plea seeking a CBI probe into allegations of irregularities in NEET-UG 2024 will be heard on July 8.
Besides, the Supreme Court on Friday issued a notice to private parties on a plea by the National Testing Agency (NTA) seeking transfer of cases pending in various high courts on the NEET-UG dispute to the apex court. A vacation bench of Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta considered the submission of counsel for the National Testing Agency (NTA) that there are several petitions pending in various High Courts including ‘National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test-Graduate’. NEET-UG), the cancellation of the 2024 question paper has been demanded on allegations of question paper leak and other irregularities. While ordering the issuance of the notice, the bench said that the matter will be heard on July 8.
Meanwhile, the NTA said it wants to withdraw three other petitions seeking transfer from the High Court to the Supreme Court on the issue of marks awarded to 1,563 candidates on the basis of time wastage during the examination on May 5. is The NTA counsel said the issue has been resolved and will inform the High Court about the Supreme Court’s June 13 order canceling the grace marks granted to 1,563 candidates.
Decision on applications seeking cancellation of medical entrance examination will be subject to decision
The objections related to grace marks were resolved by NTA canceling the grace marks on Thursday. But many candidates have petitioned the Supreme Court and several High Courts seeking cancellation of the examination alleging paper leak. The Supreme Court on Thursday clarified that the admission of successful candidates will be subject to the final decision on the applications for cancellation of the examination.
NTA sent incomplete reply to EOU after three notices
Obviously, the NEET controversy is not over with the removal of grace marks. The paper is likely to be cancelled. The NTA and the Ministry of Education say that the paper has not been leaked. The alleged NEET paper leak case in Bihar is being investigated by the EOU (Economic Offenses Unit) in the state. The EOU sought several facts related to the matter from the NEET organizing agency National Testing Council (NTA). After issuing three notices from the investigating agency level seeking information, the NTA sent its reply through e-mail on Wednesday night. However this too is half-baked. It contains only names of some candidates, roll number and some other relevant information. Still the investigating agency has not got answers to several basic questions, which could lead to the root cause of the question paper leak, which provides a crucial direction to the investigation. The probe into the whole matter so far has revealed that after the NEET question paper was leaked from a state outside Bihar, the setters here distributed it to the selected people. Meanwhile, this question paper was leaked and went viral on WhatsApp. EOU is awaiting response from NTA. The EOU suspects that setters from UP, Delhi and other states are also involved in the question paper leaking gang. Out of the 13 accused arrested so far in this case, 12 have been interrogated.
Grace Marks cancelled
Amid the growing controversy over the NEET-UG examination, the NTA on Thursday told the Supreme Court that it had canceled its decision to grant grace marks to 1,563 candidates of NEET-UG, 2024 for admission to various medical courses, including MBBS and BDS. And they will have an option to retake the exam on 23rd June. The exam was held on May 5 at 4,750 centers and around 24 lakh candidates appeared for it. The result was expected to be declared on June 14, but the result was declared on June 4.
Allegations of irregularities led to protests in several cities and cases were filed in seven high courts and the country’s Supreme Court. On June 10, a large number of students demonstrated in Delhi and demanded an inquiry into the alleged rigging.