The Centre knowledgeable the Supreme Courtroom on Friday that scrapping the NEET-UG, 2024 examination utterly would “significantly jeopardise” lakhs of deserving candidates and be irrational within the lack of proof of a widespread breach of confidentiality. The Nationwide Testing Company (NTA) administered the Nationwide Eligibility-cum-Entrance Check-Undergraduate (NEET-UG) on Could 5 for admissions to MBBS, BDS, AYUSH, and different associated programs. Alleged irregularities, equivalent to query paper leaks, have prompted quite a lot of controversy nationwide and have sparked a number of courtroom filings, mass protests, and political squabbles.
The Union Ministry of Schooling responded to the pleas that known as for the controversial examination to be scrapped, a re-test, and a court-monitored investigation, stating that there was no proof of a widespread breach of confidentiality within the take a look at, which was taken by over 23 lakh candidates at 4,750 areas in 571 cities.
“It’s also submitted that on the similar time, within the absence of any proof of any large-scale breach of confidentiality in a pan-India examination, it could not be rational to scrap all the examination and the outcomes already declared,” the Institute said. It said that there are competing rights in each examination and that the pursuits of many college students who take the take a look at truthfully shouldn’t be compromised.
“Scrapping the examination in entirety would significantly jeopardise the lakhs of trustworthy candidates who tried the query paper in 2024,” the affidavit mentioned. It mentioned the Centre was dedicated to defending the pursuits of lakhs of scholars who’ve tried the query papers pretty and after years of hardwork, with out making an attempt to acquire any unlawful benefit.
“Subsequently, whereas real considerations primarily based on confirmed info should be addressed, different prayers merely primarily based on conjectures and surmises, with none foundation the truth is, should be rejected in order to not trigger pointless struggling and misery to trustworthy examinees and their households,” it mentioned.
The affidavit mentioned there have been some alleged cases of irregularities, dishonest, impersonation and malpractices throughout the examination, and premier investigation company CBI has been requested to conduct a complete investigation into all the gamut of alleged irregularities.
“CBI has taken over the circumstances registered in numerous states after being transferred to it by the involved state governments and is enterprise the investigation,” the affidavit mentioned. It mentioned the Ministry of Schooling has constituted a high-level committee of consultants to recommend efficient measures for conducting clear, clean and honest examinations by the Nationwide Testing Company.
The affidavit mentioned the panel shall make suggestions on reforms within the mechanism of the examination course of, enchancment in knowledge safety protocols and construction, and functioning of the Nationwide Testing Company.
“It’s respectfully submitted that the federal government is dedicated to make sure the sanctity of examinations and defend the curiosity of scholars. To make sure transparency, equity, and credibility in public examination, Parliament has enacted Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024 on February 12, 2024,” it mentioned.
The affidavit mentioned the Act was introduced into impact on June 21, 2024 and offers for stringent punishment for offences associated to unfair means in public examinations. It mentioned the Centre is just not taking the litigation in an adversarial method and absolutely appreciates the considerations of candidates who’ve taken the NEET-UG 2024 examination.
“It’s additional submitted that the Union of India, in a matter equivalent to the current one, has adopted a solution-oriented strategy,” it mentioned, including the federal government is dedicated to conducting all aggressive examinations in a good and clear method.
“The Union of India duly appreciates that the confidentiality of the query papers is the utmost precedence in any examination and that if resulting from some criminality on the behest of some legal parts, the confidentiality has been breached, the Union of India submits that the mentioned particular person should be dealt sternly and with the complete pressure of legislation to make sure that they’re punished,” the affidavit mentioned.
The highest courtroom is scheduled to listen to on July eight a batch of pleas, together with these alleging irregularities within the examination held on Could 5 and looking for a route that it’s held afresh. The Centre and the NTA had advised the courtroom on June 13 that that they had cancelled the grace marks awarded to 1,563 candidates. They got the choice to both take a re-test or forgo the compensatory marks awarded for lack of time.
The NTA introduced the revised rank listing on July 1 after issuing the outcomes of the re-test held on June 23. A complete of 67 college students had scored an ideal 720, unprecedented within the NTA’s historical past, with six from a Haryana centre figuring within the listing, elevating suspicions about irregularities within the examination. It was alleged that grace marks contributed to 67 college students sharing the highest rank.
The variety of candidates sharing the highest rank got here right down to 61 from 67 when the NTA introduced the revised outcomes on July 1.
