Supreme Court Reviews NEET UG 2024 Retest Pleas Amid Exam Irregularities | Top 10 Key Updates

The Supreme Court is currently addressing multiple pleas for a NEET UG 2024 retest, citing alleged irregularities in the exam. The bench, comprising Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, emphasized the social impact of their decision.

Top 10 Updates from the Supreme Court Hearing

1. Hearing Prioritization
   “We will open the case today. Lakhs of young students are waiting for this, let us hear and decide,” said the top court, prioritizing the NEET-UG pleas over other cases.
2. Demonstrating Widespread Impact
   The bench asked the petitioners to prove that the alleged paper leak was widespread and impacted the entire examination, justifying its cancellation.
3. Re-Examination Criteria
   CJI Chandrachud stated that any re-examination order must be based on concrete evidence that the sanctity of the entire test was compromised.
4. Ongoing CBI Probe
   The bench mentioned that revealing details of the ongoing CBI investigation could affect the probe and potentially alert wrongdoers.
5. Systemic Leak Evidence
   Petitioners were told they must show that the leak was systemic and affected the entire exam to warrant its cancellation.
6. IIT Madras Report
   Senior advocate Narender Hooda presented the IIT Madras report, which indicated no signs of mass malpractice or localized benefit leading to abnormal scores.
7. Data Analytics Critique
   Hooda argued that the correct procedure would be to apply data analytics to a smaller, targeted group rather than the entire 23 lakh candidates.
8. CBI Investigation Impact
   The Supreme Court reiterated that disclosing information from the CBI could hinder the investigation.
9. NTA’s Defense
   NTA counsel stated that marks were given for questions with one extra answer, as per the NCERT booklet.
10. Exam Statistics
    Over 23.33 lakh students took the NEET UG 2024 test on May 5 at 4,750 centers in 571 cities, including 14 overseas. The exam, conducted by the NTA, is for admissions to MBBS, BDS, AYUSH, and other related courses.

Conclusion
The Supreme Court’s decision on the NEET UG 2024 retest will have significant social ramifications, affecting millions of students. The ongoing hearings aim to ensure the integrity and fairness of the examination process.