NEET UG 2024 Row Updates: NEET PG postponed; NTA chief removed

The Bihar Police detained six people from Jharkhand's Deoghar district in connection with the alleged irregularities in medical entrance exam NEET, an official said on Saturday. They were detained from a house near AIIMS-Deoghar in Devipur police station area on Friday night, he said.

"The Bihar Police gave us a tip-off. On our identification, they were taken into custody. All the suspects have been taken to Bihar," SDPO (Deoghar Sadar) Ritvik Srivastava told PTI. The suspects were allegedly living at the house of one Jhunu Singh, he said.

(PTI)

Madhya Pradesh Congress Chief Jitu Patwari on Saturday took a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024 alleging that the BJP was behind the paper leaks.

"No matter how many laws PM Modi makes against paper leak, no matter how many speeches he gives but wherever the paper is leaked, there is a college associated with BJP, ABVP workers, professors and vice-chancellors linked with ABVP come forward. Wherever incidents of paper leak happen, whether it is UPSC, MPPSC, NEET or UGC-NET, everywhere people influenced by RSS and BJP are sitting as their workers and the paper is leaked from there," Patwari said.

(ANI)

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Priyanka Chaturvedi has attacked the Bharatiya Janata Party government over the controversies in recent examinations, and asked Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan about what happened to his assurance of taking action against the guilty of "paper leaks".

"This is the third exam that NTA has postponed...The Education Minister said that he has taken responsibility, and whoever is found guilty, the strictest action will be taken against them. What happened to that claim?" Chaturvedi said in a video on Friday.
Attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the issue, the Shiv Sena (UBT) leader asked how many more careers would be put in question.

The Ministry of Education has formed a high-level committee led by former ISRO chairman Dr. K. Radhakrishnan to ensure transparent, smooth, and fair conduct of examinations through the National Testing Agency (NTA). The committee consists of 7 members including Radhakrishnan.

The development of the committee comes after the alleged paper leak of the National Eligibility cum Entrance Examination (NEET-UG) and the cancellation of the UGC NET 2024 on June 19, a day after the examination was conducted.

NSUI and Left-backed student unions on Saturday held a protest at the residence of Union Minister G Kishan Reddy, demanding reconducting the medical entrance exam NEET. The National Students' Union of India (NSUI) is the student wing of the Congress.
The activists of the student unions, who raised slogans against Reddy, were removed from the place by police. Ruling Congress MLC and NSUI president in Telangana Balmoor Venkat demanded reconducting the NEET and an inquiry by a sitting judge into the alleged irregularities in the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test.

Members of the National Students' Union of India (NSUI) on Friday protested in Jaipur over NEET and UGC-NET issues.
While speaking to the media Rajasthan NSUI President Vinod Jakhar demanded strict action against those responsible for NEET, UGC-NET 'irregularities'.

'Immediately cancel this paper (NEET-UG), re-take the exam, and take strict action against those responsible,' Rajasthan NSUI President Vinod Jakhar said. The protest was sparked by a series of recent irregularities and paper leaks in exams conducted by the NTA.

Ministry of Education on Wednesday cancelled the University Grants Commission-National Eligibility Test (UGC-NET) exam conducted by the NTA on June 18.

(ANI)

Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister and Congress leader Digvijay Singh on Friday came down heavily on the BJP government and said the nation has witnessed several scams since BJP came to power.

While addressing the people, Singh targeted the Centre and said, 'Since the BJP came to power, several scams happened in the country. The PM never spoke about any of these scams.' Stepping up his attacks, he added further, 'Whatever recruitments happened under the rule of BJP, be that in Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, or Madhya Pradesh, there have been scams in the recruitment.

(ANI)

The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) staged a protest against the National Testing Agency (NTA) at Osmania University in Hyderabad on Friday over alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG exam and the cancellation of the UGC-NET exam.
During the protest, the students burnt an effigy of the NTA.

The protest was sparked by a series of recent irregularities and paper leaks in exams conducted by the NTA. Ministry of Education on Wednesday cancelled the University Grants Commission-National Eligibility Test (UGC-NET) exam conducted by the NTA on June 18.

(ANI)

The Congress on Friday held protests across the country over alleged irregularities in the medical entrance exam NEET with Rahul Gandhi saying he will personally raise the issue in Parliament and the opposition will put pressure on the government to ensure justice for students.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge alleged that under the BJP's rule, the "education mafia" has a free hand to indulge in corruption.

"Seventy papers have been leaked in seven years and the future of two crore youth has been ruined. The NEET exam paper leak scam is a symbol of the Modi government's utter indifference towards the youth," he said.

The Congress held a protest across the country over the issue, Kharge said and asserted that his party would raise the voice of the youth strongly.

(PTI)

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday came down heavily on the Bharatiya Janata Party government over the NEET paper leak issue and said that under the rule of BJP, the future of two crore youth has been ruined in last seven years adding that Congress will raise the voice of the youth strongly.

"In BJP rule, the education mafia has a free hand in corruption. In 7 years, 70 papers have been leaked and the future of 2 crore youth has been ruined. The NEET exam paper leak scam is a symbol of the utter apathy of the Modi government towards the youth. Today Congress held a protest across the country. Congress will raise the voice of the youth strongly," Kharge posted on X.

Amidst irregularities surrounding the medical entrance exam National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test-Undergraduate 2024 (NEET-UG), the Congress on Friday held protests across the nation.

(ANI) 

The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024 which aims to prevent unfair means in public examinations and common entrance tests held across the country came into effect on Friday.

This comes amid the massive row over the alleged malpractices in conducting the NEET and UGC NET examinations. A gazette notification issued by the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions said, 'In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (2) of section 1 of the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024 (1 of 2024), the central government hereby appoints the 21st day of June 2024, as the date on which the provisions of the said Act shall come into force.' The Bill was passed by the two Houses of Parliament in the Budget session which concluded on February 10. It seeks to prevent the use of 'unfair means' in public examinations and bring 'greater transparency, fairness and credibility'.

(ANI)

Delhi Congress workers on Friday held a demonstration near the BJP headquarters here over the alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG 2024 examinations. The demonstration was led by Delhi Congress president Devender Yadav. The party was protesting peacefully for the interest of the youth, and will not rest till lakhs of students who appeared for the NEET-UG exams get justice, Yadav said.

All the Congress workers, who participated in the demonstration under Yadav's leadership, took the pledge that they will strive to ensure that justice was served to the students, the party said in a statement.

(PTI)

Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha on Friday said he would request CM Nitish Kumar to recommend a CBI probe into the suspected links of the arrested prime suspect in the NEET "paper leak" case with officials associated with RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav.
Responding to this, Yadav said the state government is free to order a high-level probe into Sinha's allegation and asserted that the BJP's “links” with two other arrested accused persons also need to be investigated.

"Recommending a probe by an independent agency like the CBI is the prerogative of the CM. We will meet him and urge him to do the needful in the matter pertaining to suspected links of the arrested accused in the NEET paper leak case with officials associated with Tejashwi Yadav," Sinha told PTI.

(PTI)

Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati on Friday demanded strict action against the main accused in the NEET-UG question paper leak.

In a post on X in Hindi, Mayawati said, 'The government needs to take strict action against the main accused in the NEET (question) paper leak case due to which innocent students are suffering. And it is not right to do any politics under its guise.' The NEET-UG examination was held on May 5 across 4,750 centres and around 24 lakh candidates appeared for it. The results were expected to be declared on June 14 but were announced on June 4, saying the evaluation of the answer sheets got completed earlier.
As many as 67 students scored a perfect 720, unprecedented in the NTA's history, with six from a centre in Haryana's Faridabad figuring in the list, raising suspicions about irregularities. It has been alleged that grace marks contributed to 67 students sharing the top rank.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray on Friday sought transparency in the recently conducted Maharashtra Common Entrance Test (MH-CET) engineering exams in the state, and demanded that the marks of the students be disclosed and answer sheets be given to them.

He has raised questions on the conduct of the exam. He said CET was held in a “weird” way and examinations for two papers were held in 30 batches. Of this, one paper was held in 24 batches.

Read more details here

The counsel appearing for the petitioner sought a stay on the re-test saying that the NTA had withheld material information from the court – that out of the 1,563 candidates, 753 had already failed. “They are thereby getting a second shot at the examinations,” he said. This, he added, was unjust and unreasonable given that there are qualified candidates who would like to reappear. He also contended that the candidates reappearing will undergo the stress of taking the examination.

Read full detail here

"The whole country knows that the epicenter of paper leak was earlier Madhya Pradesh, where 40-50 people were killed.

BJP says that Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat are our laboratories. The paper leak also started from there and is now spreading across the country.

Unless the institutions of India are taken away from the hands of BJP and given to honest and unbiased people, paper leaks will keep happening," Rahul Gandhi said.

Congress workers on Friday held a protest march in Jharkhand's Ranchi over alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG 2024. they further demanded cancellation of the test. Led by state Congress president Rajesh Thakur, the procession was taken out from Sahid Chowk and it culminated at Raj Bhavan, covering around a two-kilometre stretch.

During the protest march, Congress workers raised slogans against the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre and demanded the arrest of those involved in the alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG 2024 examinations. Thakur alleged that the central government has been "silent over" the serious issue. -- PTI

"Congress workers of INC Nagaland held a protest against the massive irregularities and paper leaks in the NEET UG 2024 examination. The Modi government has crushed millions of dreams. We will not let this injustice continue. We will ensure justice for our students," Congress tweeted.

CBI registered a case on June 20 against unknown accused persons u/s 120B and 420 IPC on the basis of complaint received from Secretary, Deptt of Education, Govt. of India.

"It has been alleged in the complaint that University Grants Commission (UGC) received inputs on 19.06.2024 from National Cyber Crime Threat Analysis Unit of Indian Cyber Crime Co-ordination Centre(I4C) under Union Ministry of Home Affairs that integrity of UGC Net -2024 Examination, conducted by National Testing Agency(NTA) on 18.06.2024 in two shifts across different cities in the country, may have been compromised," an official statement read.

'The INDIA alliance is united on this issue. We want the NEET exam to be immediately cancelled...The (BJP) have all the investigation agencies, they can call the PS or PA anyone for probe...They want to divert the issue from the kingpin...Those who want to drag my name or my PA's name, this will not benefit anyone...The engineer who is talked about could be a beneficiary but Amit Anand and Nitish Kumar are the masterminds of the paper leak. The people of the country know that whenever BJP comes to power, then paper leaks happen,' RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav was quoted by ANI.

#WATCH | On NEET issue, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav says, 'The INDIA alliance is united on this issue. We want the NEET exam to be immediately cancelled...The (BJP) have all the investigation agencies, they can call the PS or PA anyone for probe...They want to divert the issue from… pic.twitter.com/AAN1dLoOD7

— ANI (@ANI) June 21, 2024

Punjab Congress, led by state party chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, is holding a protest in Chandigarh as a part of the nationwide protest being held by INC today.

#WATCH | Punjab Congress, led by state party chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring held a protest in Chandigarh today over NEET and UGC-NET issues. pic.twitter.com/6JdtlmJtGT

— ANI (@ANI) June 21, 2024

The counsel appearing for the petitioner sought a stay on the re-test saying that the NTA had withheld material information from the court – that out of the 1,563 candidates, 753 had already failed.

Read more details here

In a first admission of irregularity in the conduct of the NEET undergraduate exam this year, Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan Thursday acknowledged there have been “some errors limited to specific regions”, referring to Bihar’s investigation into allegations of paper leak, and announced the setting up of a high-level committee to fix responsibility within the NTA and review its structure and functioning.

Read more here

One of the people suspected of being behind an alleged question paper leak of NEET UG 2024 has told the Bihar police that four aspirants had gathered at a location chosen by him a night before the exam and “memorised answers” of questions from the paper.

Read full report here

The Congress party in J&K has started a protest in the area, as a part of the nation-wide protest being carried out by Congress today. The J&K wing of Gandhi-led political party is demanding cancellation of NEET UG 2024.

#WATCH | Jammu: Congress party in J&K protests against NEET, demands cancellation of the exam. pic.twitter.com/ykS5GVn2DK

— ANI (@ANI) June 21, 2024

The Education Minister, Dharmendra Pradhan, has cancelled his presence in a Delhi University event, as the INC and several student bodies are protesting in the capital against the ongoing NEET UG, UGC NET controversies.

"Today, the students are protesting against it. Rahul ji has said that there are three main centres of education scams- Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat- these three are BJP-governed states. 24 lakh students took NEET, what about their future? Many questions have been raised on National Testing Agency. Four years ago, the PM said a National Recruitment Agency would be established for recruitment in govt agencies. Till today, not even one recruitment has been done through National Recruitment Agency. NEET is an attack on the framework of the Constitution. Email Nadu and Maharashtra have said they are against NEET. There should be a debate on the NEET issue in Parliament," Congress leader Jairam Ramesh told ANI.

The Uttar Pradesh Congress is today protesting in Lucknow against the NEET UG and UGC NET controversies.

#WATCH | Uttar Pradesh Congress protests in Lucknow, over NEET issue and UGC-NET issue. pic.twitter.com/uatEGSUBzf

— ANI (@ANI) June 21, 2024

Several students from across the country appeared for UGC NET June 2024 exam on June 18, which was then cancelled by the Ministry of Education (MoE) on June 19. Some of these students talked to The Indian Express about what is their plan of action now that the exam has been cancelled.

"“When I came to Delhi, I used to hear stories that the computer-based exam of the UGC-NET had more chances of paper leaks or fraud… But this time, it was a pen and paper test conducted by the NTA (National Testing Agency), which gave me hope that there will be fairness. That faith was misplaced,” Abhishek told The Indian Express. 

"The NEET-UG and NEET-PG scam has another important ramification.

Indian doctors are respected and valued for their medical expertise, dedication, and significant contributions to global healthcare. More than 75000 Indian doctors work in the OECD countries alone, which is nearly 7.5% of our qualified doctors.

Through NEET scam, we are sending the message that doctors from our best Medical Institutes need not be the best. They might have got those seats because they were rich enough to buy a leaked question paper or bribe a politician or a bureaucrat to get their way in.

We must fix the system on a war footing in our best interest. Reputation is easy to damage, and very difficult to restore," an X post stated.

The NEET-UG and NEET-PG scam has another important ramification.

Indian doctors are respected and valued for their medical expertise, dedication, and significant contributions to global healthcare. More than 75000 Indian doctors work in the OECD countries alone, which is nearly… pic.twitter.com/7Eead988mX

— Congress Kerala (@INCKerala) June 21, 2024

Supreme Court refuses to postpone the counselling date of NEET UG 2024 from July 6.

A vacation bench of Justices Vikram Nath and SVN Bhatti are currently presiding over the NEET UG matters.

The Supreme Court is now hearing another plea filed by a candidate seeking permission to re-appear in the re-test scheduled for June 23. Candidate claims he has a medical condition.

The petitioner's counsel has requested the bench to pause the counselling for two days. " am not seeking stay of counselling, only that it may be paused for 2 days. Counselling is starting on 6 July, main matter is listed on 8 July," the counsel said as per Live Law.

“Solidarity with our students – India’s future – in their struggle to safeguard their academic standards from being destroyed by this ND alliance government led by (Narendra) Modi,” Communist Party of India (Marxist) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury said in a post on X.

Under scanner for the cancellation of UGC NET and facing criticism over the NEET issue, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan Thursday said the ministry has been in regular contact with the Bihar Police with regard to the alleged paper leak of NEET UG 2024.

The Minister added that the enquiry conducted till now shows evidence of “errors in some regions”, and assured students that everyone involved in the security breach will be punished.

Read more here

A NEET UG candidate has issued a plea in the Supreme Court complaining that giving two correct options for one question in NEET UG 2024 is 'illegal'.

Supreme Court to hear today a petition seeking cancellation of the NEET UG 2024 exam and the counselling/seat allotment process set to begin from July 6

UGC-NET exam paper leaked on Darknet, led to cancellation of exam, said Pradhan. He further requested to not politicise NEET issue, isolated incident shouldn't affect lakhs of students who cleared exam rightfully

Exam dates to be announced soon said Pradhan 

Committed to hold zero-error exam, high-level committee being formed to improve NTA functioning said Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, adding that strict action to be taken against any official of NTA if found guilty. Errors in NEET examination limited to specific region

'We have taken responsibility and will rectify the dates. The inputs were given by I4C organisation about the paper leak. We look at the questions and found that the matter is of question leak' said Pradhan

'Have faith in our system. We are a democracy. We have just concluded the elections. I assure you again no malpractices will be left and offenders will be punished.' said Pradhan

"A few months back we did not have any mechanism for paper leak. All the states are affected by the paper leak." said the Minister 

" The interest of all the talented and hardworking candidates of NEET UG will be given priority." said the minister

"All the technocrats, scientists, education admiration, academians and psychologists will be gathered to make a high-level committee to improve the functioning of the NTA" said the minister to a question asked by Indian Express reporter. 

"No offenders will be left. We will try for all logical and legal elements for the battle." said the minister

"I request everyone to not spread rumours and politicise the matter." said Pradhan. 

"Offenders even from NTA will not be left. Priority will be given to students future with a high level committe to be formed by the government. " said the minister. 

Amid allegations of paper leak in the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test-Undergraduate 2024 row, a candidate from Samastipur has admitted that he was handed the leaked question paper by his uncle, a day prior to the examination held in May this year, police said on Thursday.

Anurag Yadav, 22, in his confession letter to Patna police, said that his uncle had summoned him from Kota in Rajasthan to Samastipur in Bihar saying that all arrangements for the exam had been made. Yadav's uncle Sikandar Prasad Yadavendu, an engineer deployed at Bihar's Danapur Town Council (Danapur Nagar Parishad) has asked him to return to Samastipur.

In his confession letter to the police, Anurag said he was handed the NEET exam question paper and answer sheet on the eve of the exam that was held on May 5 and was made to memorize the answers.

"I returned from Kota and was taken to Amit Anand and Nitish Kumar by my uncle on the night of May 4, 2024, where I was given the NEET exam question paper and answer sheet, which I was made to study and memorize overnight. My examination centre was DY Patil school," he said. The NEET aspirant further said when he saw the actual question paper on the examination day, it matched with the one that his uncle had provided.

Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday hit out at the Central government over cancellation of the UGC-NET exam, saying the paper mafia is "rigging exams" under the BJP rule. The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister said if the police recruitment exam is leaked, it will have a bearing on law and order while if there is a fraud in the NEET exam, honest people will not become doctors. Likewise the cancellation of the UGC-NET exam will have a bearing on the education system.

"Under the BJP rule, the paper mafia is rigging every exam, one after the other. This could also be someone's big conspiracy against the country," Yadav charged on X. The Education Ministry on Wednesday ordered the cancellation of UGC-NET conducted by the National Testing Agency following inputs that the integrity of the examination may have been compromised and the matter has been handed over to the CBI for a thorough investigation.

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Thursday lashed out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre, saying it was unable to conduct even one exam properly and sought to know what steps it is taking to prevent question paper leaks in future. His statement comes a day after the Ministry of Education cancelled the UGC-NET following inputs that the integrity of the exam may have been compromised.

The Hyderabad MP in a post on social media platform 'X' said, "After the NEET scam, now the UGC-NET exam has also been cancelled because its paper was leaked. Security of the country is a big thing, the Modi government is not able to conduct even one exam properly." Owaisi pointed to 41 cases of question paper leaks that have affected job seekers in 15 states. "A total of 1.4 crore youth had to write/take up these exams... Has paper leak become an excuse for not giving jobs?" he asked.
The AIMIM president said when the exam is cancelled, the hard work of the youth goes waste. added that they do not even know when the exa will be held again, or if it will be held at all.

West Bengal Education Minister Bratya Basu on Thursday said the Centre's decision to cancel UGC-NET indicated that it was 'yet another scandal in a series' of such incidents.

'Amid a massive row on the medical entrance exam NEET over alleged irregularities, with the issue now before the Supreme Court, the Centre on June 19 ordered the cancellation of the UGC-NET following inputs that the exam's integrity may have been compromised and handed over the matter to the CBI for an investigation,' the minister posted on X.

'New scam in the market in the series of scams! Cancellation of UGC-NET due to compromised integrity of the examinations,' Basu added. Earlier, he had urged central agencies to investigate NEET irregularities, questioning whether the Centre's response will match its vigilance in probing a teaching job 'scandal' in West Bengal.

(PTI)

Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha on Thursday claimed that the arrested prime accused in the NEET "paper leak" is linked to officials associated with RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, and demanded an investigation into it. Addressing a press conference here, Sinha claimed that the official was in constant touch with Sikander Prasad Yadvendu, the arrested prime accused in the case.

“The official associated with Yadav used to arrange accommodation for Sikandar at guest houses in Patna and other places. I have details of messages which the official had sent to the persons concerned for arranging accommodation for Sikandar,” the deputy chief minister said.

He said he has the mobile number from which those messages were sent.

Sinha said, "It needs to be thoroughly probed. Why is the RJD leader (Tejashwi Prasad) maintaining a stoic silence on this?" There are reports suggesting that the accused was also associated with RJD supremo Lalu Prasad, when he was in judicial custody in Ranchi, the deputy chief minister said.

The Economic Offences Wing of Bihar Police had last month arrested 13 people as part of its investigation into the alleged paper leak in NEET-UG 2024. The arrested accused included examinees, their parents and alleged mastermind Sikander Prasad Yadvendu. 

(PTI)

NCP (SP) leader Supriya Sule on Thursday sought the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the alleged irregularities in the NEET (UG) medical entrance test and other exams.

Talking to reporters here, she said that despite technology evolving constantly, several issues were cropping up in the conduct of various examinations like the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (Undergraduate).

"The government is insensitive towards the issues of farmers, women and students. Frequent irregularities in the NEET exam, talathi exams and now in the UGC (NET) exams are taking place. Despite the way technology is evolving, why are frequent glitches taking place in these exams? Form an SIT to probe these irregularities," the Baramati MP said.

"I can understand issues cropping up once in a while, but now these issues are taking place every now and then," she said.
She also alleged that the crime rate in the state was on the rise.

(PTI)

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi Thursday launched a scathing attack on the Centre over the alleged irregularities in NEET and cancellation of UGC-NET and said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has "psychologically collapsed" post-elections and will struggle to run a government like this.

Addressing a press conference here, he also said the main reason for paper leaks is that educational institutions have been captured by the BJP and its parent organisation RSS and paper leaks will not stop unless that is reversed.

Gandhi said the basic concept of Modi has been demolished by the opposition in the just-concluded elections and had it been a prime minister like Atal Bihari Vajpayee or Manmohan Singh, who believed in humility, the government would have survived. Noting that there are interesting times ahead, he said Modi's top priority now is to get his Speaker in Parliament and is not bothered about NEET, because of which lakhs of students are suffering. 

(PTI)

The Delhi High Court has dismissed a petition by three medical aspirants seeking permission to appear for NEET UG, 2024 re-test on June 23 on the ground of loss of time, holding there was no merit or substance in their pcum-etition. The petitioners claimed they suffered because of loss of time during the exam held on May 5 for which they were neither compensated with extra time nor awarded any grace marks.

However, the high court noted that they were already allowed extra time at the examination centre as the question paper given to them initially had to be replaced.

“The report of GRC (grievance redressal committee) is very specific and there is nothing to indicate that petitioners no. 1 to 3 are entitled to appear in re-test. They cannot be permitted to raise any grievance as they were given corresponding extra time. Finding no merit or substance, the present petition stands dismissed,” a vacation bench of Justice Manoj Jain said.

The petition was filed by four National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (Under Graduate) (NEET-UG) aspirants. While three of them appeared for the test in one centre, the fourth took it at another centre.

According to the plea, they were supplied a particular set of question paper and OMR sheet which was duly filled out by them. However, in the middle of the examination, the question paper and OMR sheet were taken away from them and replaced with another set.

This resulted in loss of time for which they were neither compensated by allowing extra time nor awarded any grace marks, they claimed in their plea and prayed that they be permitted to appear in the re-test to be conducted by National Testing Agency (NTA) on June 23.

The counsel representing the NTA told the court that the agency has already considered all such aspects with respect to the centres, including these two centres, and as per the final report given by the GRC, there was no loss of time with regard to the centre where the three petitioners had appeared.

He said the question papers distributed initially were replaced within five minutes after the examination process had got underway and all 492 candidates at the centre were duly compensated for the loss of time by giving them corresponding extra time.

The counsel claimed their grievance was misplaced and said the GRC's report on the issue was was accepted by the apex court.
Regarding the fourth petitioner, the NTA's counsel said the candidate has been granted grace marks, and in terms of the directions given by the Supreme Court, he has been permitted to reappear in the test to be conducted on June 23.

The high court said it was conscious of the fact that the apex court is already seized of the issue relating to the NEET examination. However, as fairly agreed by both sides, the present petition is on a different footing, it said.

(PTI)

Students marched to Kannur Head Post Office under the leadership of SFI to protest against the cancellation of the UGC NET exam on Thursday. The Ministry of Education on Wednesday said that it had cancelled the University Grants Commission-National Eligibility Test (UGC-NET) exam conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) on June 18 across different cities of the country due to certain inputs from National Cyber Crime Threat Analytics Unit that prima-facie indicates that the integrity of the UGC-NET June 2024 examination may have been compromised.

The National Testing Agency (NTA) conducted the UGC-NET June 2024 Examination in OMR (pen and paper) mode on June 18, in two shifts across different cities of the country.

(ANI)