SC refuses to order re-exam for NEET-UG 2024, says systematic breach of exam not established

The Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to order a re-test of NEET-UG 2024, stating that data on record is not indicative of a “systemic leak” of the question paper.

“At the present stage, there is absence of materials on record to show results of the exam was vitiated or there was a systemic breach in the conduct of the exam,” Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, who was heading the apex court bench also comprising justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, said.

“Data on record is not indicative of a systemic leak of the question paper which would indicate a disruption of the sanctity of the exam. The cancellation of NEET is neither justified nor required on the basis of the materials available on record,” the CJI added.

The apex court said it realised that directing a fresh NEET-UG for the present year would be replete with serious consequences which will be for over 24 lakh students who appeared in this exam.

The court was also apprised that Union has formed a seven-member expert committee.

“The committee shall abide by the further directions as may be issued by this court to ensure that the process of conducting NEET UG exam is duly strengthened so that issues cited now does not arise in future,” the bench stated.

The National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test-Undergraduate (NEET-UG) is carried out by the National Testing Agency for admissions to MBBS, BDS, AYUSH and other related courses in government and private institutions across the country.

This year’s NEET-UG was conducted on May 5 in which more than 23.33 lakh students had taken the test at 4,750 centres in 571 cities, including 14 overseas.

Earlier in the day, an expert panel from the Indian Institute of Technology-Delhi (IIT-D) had submitted a report on the controversial physics question which the petitioners claimed had two correct answers.

“We have received the IIT Delhi report. The IIT Director Rangan Banerjee…constituted a committee from the department of physics and they say a team of three experts examined the question. They say that the option four is the correct answer,” CJI Chandrachud said.