NEET UG 2024 :Govt, NTA form panel to Recheack NEET-UG results of 1,500 students

The National Testing Agency (NTA) and the Union Education Ministry Saturday announced the formation of a four-member committee to review the results of over 1,500 candidates who were awarded "grace marks" to compensate for the "loss of time" suffered while appearing for this year's National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (Undergraduate).

The announcement was made amid a controversy over this year's NEET-UG test results, with some states such as Maharashtra requesting a retest while others like Aam Aadmi party demanded a Supreme Court monitored probe into alleged discrepancies raised by students via social media.

The results were announced on June 4 and immediately attention because of the large number of candidates that got the perfect score 720/720. Also, some candidates received 718 or even 719 marks -- which others said was impossible in the context of the test. The NTA denied allegations that there was a leak of paper.

Subodh Kumar Singh, the Director General of NTA, denied any irregularities with the results on Saturday. He attributed this unusually high number (67) of top scorers to the relatively easy paper and the decision by the agency to give additional marks to students who did not begin their exams on time. Singh told reporters, however, that a panel would be looking into the results for the 1,500 students who received grace marks.

This panel has been formed with a former UPSC Chairman and three other academicians. It is expected to release its verdict by next Saturday.

NTA stated that the verdict would not affect any other results. The NTA said that they were aware of the fact that the counselling (for MBBS) was about to start, but it would not have an impact on the admission process. The special committee will deliver its verdict by next Saturday. We will then take the next steps.

The NTA is yet to reveal the normalisation formula that was used for the grace marks given to 1,563 students. The candidates came from six centers -- two each in Chhattisgarh and Meghalaya (one in Balod, one in Dantewada), Surat and Haryana's Bahadurgarh and Chandigarh.

Students have also filed petitions at a number high courts.

After a notice was issued by a vacation bench, on June 7, one of these writ-petitions filed by a NEET UG student in the Delhi High Court was scheduled for hearing on the 12th of June. The petitioner is challenging the final answer of Physics question 29 as well as compensatory time for some centres.

A second PIL was filed in the Calcutta High Court division bench challenging the awarding of 718 or 720 marks to certain candidates for NEET UG 2024.While hearing this matter on June 6, the High Court directed the NTA to file an affidavit within 10 days, disclosing how the reservation policy of the state as well as the central government has been followed in preparing the merit list. The matter will be heard by a regular bench in two weeks.

Additionally, a writ petition has been filed by another NEET UG candidate before the Supreme Court. The court, while hearing the matter on May 17, issued notice to the respondents and listed the matter for the next hearing on July 8.