Supreme Court’s Bold Decision: NEET Re-examination Hinges on Concrete Evidence Amidst Uproar
After reviewing over 40 petitions concerning alleged irregularities in NEET-UG, the Supreme Court declared on July 18 that a re-examination of NEET-UG 2024 could only be considered if substantial evidence shows the integrity of the exam was compromised on a large scale. Chief Justice of India, DY Chandrachud, emphasized that for a re-exam to be warranted, it must be evident that the paper leak was systemic and impacted the entire examination.
The Chief Justice clarified during the hearing that merely because only 1 lakh out of 23 lakh candidates secure admission does not justify a re-exam. The examination’s integrity must be proven to have been broadly compromised. Citing the “social ramifications” of the controversy, the Supreme Court prioritized the NEET petition over other significant cases, including those related to Google vs. CCI and income tax returns.
Highlighting the urgency, CJI Chandrachud noted that lakhs of students await the outcome and queried about the number of seats available in both government and private medical colleges. Senior advocate Narendra Hooda, representing the petitioners, responded with the figure of 1,08,000 seats, suggesting that the remaining candidates would seek another chance if a re-exam were granted.
Opposing the plea for a retest, the Centre and the National Testing Agency argued that the alleged malpractices were localized and did not affect the integrity of the entire exam. The Centre, in its affidavit, cited data analytics by IIT-Madras which showed no evidence of mass malpractice or a specific group benefiting unusually.
Ultimately, the Court stressed the need for concrete evidence of widespread impact on the exam’s integrity before considering a re-examination, aiming to balance fairness with the logistical challenges and widespread implications such a decision would entail.
Original Story https://www.indiatodayne.in/national/story/neet-row-supreme-court-conditions-re-examination-on-concrete-footing-1051864-2024-07-18?utm_source=rssfeed
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