Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has expressed gratitude to the Supreme Court for its decision to uphold the integrity of the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET-UG) 2024. The apex court ruled against the cancellation of the exam held on May 5, stating that there was no systemic breach in the process. This verdict has been seen as a validation of the government's stance on the examination's integrity.
In a post on X, Pradhan emphasised that the Supreme Court’s findings and verdict unequivocally dismiss the allegations and "propaganda" surrounding the exam. He reiterated the government's commitment to maintaining a "Tamper-free, Transparent & Zero-error examination system." To further ensure this, the government plans to implement recommendations from a high-level committee of experts once they are submitted.
Pradhan also thanked the Supreme Court for delivering justice and protecting the interests of numerous diligent students. He assured that the government would faithfully implement the Supreme Court's judgement.
However, not everyone agreed with the Supreme Court’s decision. Congress MP Karti P Chidambaram expressed his disagreement, stating that it would be unfair to base admissions on the NEET test results due to perceived integrity issues. He highlighted concerns about significant anomalies in the test.
Another Congress MP, Shashi Tharoor, called for a re-evaluation of the examination system. Tharoor pointed to multiple complaints about the process, including instances where top NEET performers had poor school examination results. He also mentioned issues faced by students from Kerala who were assigned exam centres far from their state, suggesting a need for a more efficient system.
The Supreme Court’s decision on July 23 came after a thorough review of the NEET-UG 2024 examination. A bench comprising Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra concluded that there was no evidence to suggest a systemic breach that would invalidate the exam results. They found no indicative data of a widespread leak of the NEET-UG question paper that would compromise the exam’s integrity.
Despite acknowledging incidents of question paper leaks in Hazaribagh and Patna, the court did not find sufficient grounds to annul the entire exam. The court's order responded to multiple petitions calling for the recall of NEET-UG 2024 results and the re-conducting of the exam due to alleged paper leaks and malpractice.
These petitions were filed by NEET aspirants who raised concerns about question paper leaks, the awarding of compensatory marks, and other irregularities in the exam process. The NEET-UG 2024 was held at 4,750 centres on May 5, with approximately 24 lakh candidates appearing for the test.
This ruling by the Supreme Court is significant as it underscores the judicial backing for the examination's process, amidst allegations and controversies. The decision aims to ensure the credibility of the NEET-UG, which is a critical examination for medical aspirants in India.
The government’s commitment to a robust and transparent examination system is expected to be reinforced with the forthcoming implementation of expert recommendations, aimed at addressing any potential flaws and enhancing the overall examination process.
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