The Supreme Court’s Vacation Bench has scheduled a hearing on July 8 to address a series of petitions challenging various aspects of the NEET-UG 2024. On June 18, the Court strongly emphasized to the Centre and the National Testing Agency (NTA) that there must be zero tolerance for even the slightest negligence in conducting the undergraduate National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET-UG) 2024. Justice S.V. Bhatti, who is part of the Vacation Bench led by Justice Vikram Nath, underscored that any form of negligence, even as minor as 0.001%, must be thoroughly investigated and addressed.

Court’s Firm Stance on Accountability

The Supreme Court made it clear that the NTA, which is responsible for administering the medical entrance exam, must take a firm stand. If mistakes were made during the conduct of NEET-UG 2024, the NTA should acknowledge these errors and take appropriate corrective actions. The NEET-UG exam was conducted by the NTA on May 5 at 4,750 centers across 571 cities, including 14 international locations, with over 24 lakh candidates participating.

Justice Bhatti urged the NTA to maintain a high level of transparency and accountability. He suggested that admitting to mistakes and detailing the actions taken to rectify them would inspire confidence in the NTA’s performance. Justice Vikram Nath echoed these sentiments, highlighting the severity of the allegations against the NEET process. In one notable case, a NEET aspirant was found to have submitted forged documents, prompting the court to encourage the NTA to take legal action.

Emphasis on Integrity and Fairness

Justice Bhatti advised the Centre and NTA not to treat the petitions filed by NEET aspirants and academicians as adversarial. He stressed the significant harm that fraud could cause to society and the medical profession. Fraudulent practices undermine the integrity of the examination process and the genuine efforts of many students who prepare diligently for the exam.

He emphasized the importance of honesty and fairness, noting the extensive efforts made by students. “Imagine a person who has played fraud on the system becoming a doctor. That would be deleterious to society,” Justice Bhatti pointed out, underlining the critical need to uphold the integrity of the examination process.

Government’s Response and Court’s Demand for Consistency

Advocate Kanu Agrawal, representing the NTA and the Union government, requested the judges to refrain from reaching adverse conclusions until official responses to the numerous petitions were submitted. He acknowledged the considerable efforts and challenges faced by NEET aspirants and reiterated the importance of a fair examination process.

Justice Bhatti responded by stating that the NTA’s stance outside the courtroom should remain consistent within the courtroom. This remark underscored the need for the NTA to maintain transparency and consistency in its actions and statements.

Retest and Investigation into Allegations

In response to the scrutiny from the Supreme Court, the NTA agreed on June 13 to withdraw and cancel the scorecards of 1,563 candidates who had received grace marks. The agency scheduled a retest for these candidates on June 23. Justice Bhatti emphasized the necessity for an honest review of any issues that occurred during the exam, including the misuse of cell phones and other irregularities. He called for prompt and decisive action to address these problems.

Multiple Petitions and Upcoming Hearing

The hearing was prompted by two petitions from over 30 candidates, urging the Supreme Court to address the NEET controversy. Since the NEET results were announced in early June, several petitions with similar concerns have been filed. Petitioners requested an investigation report on the controversy to be submitted before the counseling date of July 6.

Justice Nath issued a notice directing the Union and NTA to submit their responses within two weeks. The Vacation Bench has listed the case for hearing on July 8, along with other related petitions, to ensure a comprehensive review of the issues surrounding NEET-UG 2024.