Centre opposes cancellation of NEET-UG 2024 citing absence of large-scale confidentiality breaches

On July 5, the Centre filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court opposing the cancellation of the NEET-UG 2024 exam, citing the fact that the results have already been announced. The government’s position has focused on setting up a panel to suggest measures for the fair administration of future exams. They have argued that without substantial evidence of widespread confidentiality violations in a national exam, it would be unreasonable to cancel the entire exam and the results already released. This position underscores their commitment to maintaining the integrity of the exam process while addressing the concerns raised.

The government also said that the Ministry of Education has set up a high-level expert committee following the recent review. The main mandate of this committee is to recommend stringent measures to ensure transparent, smooth and fair conduct of examinations conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA). The establishment of the committee underscores the government’s commitment to strengthening the integrity and efficiency of the examination process, by addressing any concerns and challenges that may arise in future examinations.

According to the government, the committee headed by Dr K Radhakrishnan, former chairman of ISRO and chairman of the IIT Kanpur board, will focus on making recommendations for reforms in the examination process mechanism. This includes improving data security protocols and assessing the structure and functioning of the National Testing Agency (NTA).

The committee was tasked to submit its report within two months, reflecting the government’s commitment to implementing comprehensive improvements in the conduct of examinations administered by the NTA.

After the Centre filed its affidavit, the National Testing Agency (NTA), which is responsible for conducting the NEET-UG exam, submitted another affidavit in response to a petition filed in the Supreme Court. The NTA claimed that the incident or the alleged leak had minimal impact on the overall conduct of the exam held on May 5. It said the number of candidates implicated in the probe is negligible compared to the large number of people who appeared for the exam.

The NTA has spoken out against scrapping the exam in its entirety, saying that such a move would unfairly penalise the lakhs of honest candidates who took the 2024 exam. It emphasised that the NEET-UG 2024 exam was conducted fairly and confidentially, without any illegal practices. The agency has dismissed allegations of widespread malpractices as completely baseless, misleading and devoid of any factual basis. This position underlines its confidence in the integrity of the examination process and the results declared.

The NTA further clarified that the alleged malpractices were limited to specific centres in Patna and Godhra, and reiterated its stance against cancelling the entire NEET-UG 2024 exam on the basis of isolated incidents. The agency stressed that such actions would have an unfair impact on all candidates, including those who had appeared honestly and without any issues.

The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear a series of petitions on July 8, including those alleging irregularities in the May 5 exam and calling for a re-run of the exam. The allegations, including those about leaked documents, have sparked protests in several cities and clashes between competing political parties.

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