Nuzhat Mushtaq
New Delhi:The Supreme Court on Friday upheld the results of the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test-Undergraduate (NEET-UG) 2024 examination, despite concerns over paper leaks and other irregularities.
In its detailed reasons for the order pronounced on July 23, a bench of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra said there was no systematic breach of the exam’s sanctity.
The court, however, pulled up the National Testing Agency (NTA) for its inconsistent approach, saying it did not serve the interests of students.
The bench issued a slew of directions, including expanding the remit of the Centre-appointed panel headed by former ISRO chief K Radhakrishnan to review the NTA’s functioning and recommend exam reforms.
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The panel has been asked to submit its report by September 30, focusing on measures to rectify deficiencies in the examination system.
The court also directed the panel to consider framing standard operating procedures for adopting technological advancements to strengthen the examination system.
The top court’s decision came as a relief to the embattled NDA government and the NTA, which faced strong criticism and protests over alleged large-scale malpractices like question paper leaks, fraud, and impersonation in the prestigious test held on May 5.
Over 23 lakh students appeared for the NEET-UG 2024 exam for admissions to MBBS, BDS, AYUSH, and other related courses
