NEET-UG 2024: Government Denies Paper Leak, Orders Retest for 1,563 Students
New Delhi, The Union Education Minister, Dharmendra Pradhan, dismissed allegations of a paper leak in the NEET-UG 2024 exam, labeling them as unfounded. This announcement came on the same day the Supreme Court accepted the government's proposal for a retest for 1,563 students who had previously been given grace marks due to time lost during the exam.
Key Points:
- Allegations and Denial:
- The NEET-UG 2024 faced accusations of a paper leak, which the Education Minister vehemently denied. Dharmendra Pradhan emphasized the credibility of the National Testing Agency (NTA), stating no evidence had been found to support the allegations.
- Supreme Court's Decision:
- The Supreme Court has mandated a retest on June 23 for the 1,563 affected students. This decision followed recommendations from a four-member committee that reviewed the impact of time loss on these students.
- Grace Marks Controversy:
- Initially, these students were awarded grace marks due to interruptions at six of the 4,500 exam centers. The NTA had awarded these marks based on a formula considering answering efficiency and time lost, as per a previous Supreme Court judgment from 2018.
- After reevaluation, it was decided that these students could either retain their original scores (without the grace marks) or opt for the retest. This came after the discovery that some students had received perfect scores due to the grace marks, raising concerns about the fairness of the results.
- Revised Results Impact:
Source: Shiksha
- The NTA reported a decrease in the number of perfect scorers from 67 to 61 after the grace marks were rescinded. This revision highlighted the significant impact of the awarded grace marks.
- Additional Issues:
- Besides the time loss issue, a specific multiple-choice physics question also caused confusion. The NTA had initially marked one option as correct, but candidates argued that an older version of the NCERT textbook supported a different answer. To address this, the NTA granted credit to all candidates who chose the alternative option.
- Political and Public Reaction:
- The NEET-UG controversy has sparked widespread student protests and political backlash. The Congress party has called for a Supreme Court-monitored probe into the matter, accusing the BJP government of mishandling the situation.
Simplified Breakdown:
- Background:
- NEET-UG 2024 is the national entrance exam for undergraduate medical courses.
- Over 24 lakh students took the exam on May 5 across 4,750 centers.
- Controversies:
- Paper Leak Allegations: Denied by the government, citing lack of evidence.
- Grace Marks: Given to 1,563 students due to time loss at six centers.
- Physics Question Dispute: Resulted in additional grace marks for some students.
- Supreme Court's Action:
- Ordered a retest for the 1,563 students on June 23.
- Students can choose between their original marks (without grace) or the new test results.
- Political and Public Response:
- Protests by students and demands for a detailed investigation.
- Assurance from the Education Minister to abide by the Supreme Court's decision and ensure fairness.
- Future Implications:
- NTA to include detailed protocols for handling such issues in future exams.
- Ongoing debates about the efficiency and transparency of the NTA.
The NEET-UG 2024 controversy highlights significant challenges in the examination process, emphasizing the need for robust measures to ensure fairness and transparency. As the situation unfolds, affected students and stakeholders await further developments and resolutions.