'No NEET-UG Re-Exam': 155 Students Benefited From Paper Leak But No Systemic Leak, Says SC

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New Delhi: Amid the controversy surrounding the NEET-UG 2024, the Supreme Court said that no systemic leak was found, but 155 students benefited from the paper leak in Bihar. The SC ruled out re-examination saying that there the 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. During the hearing at the top court, the Central Bureau of Investigation confirmed a NEET-UG paper leak at the Hazaribagh centre. "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," note Chief Justice Dhananjaya Y. Chandrachud.

The NEET-UG exam was conducted at 4,750 centres at 571 cities besides 14 cities overseas. 24 lakh students were competing for 1,08,000 seats. The court was apprised of the fact that 50th percentile reflects the percentage of cut off. The exam consists of 180 questions totalling to 720 marks and one negative mark for wrong answers.

"Fact that leak of NEET UG 2024 paper took place at hazaribagh and at Patna is not in dispute Following transfer of investigation to it, CBI has filed its status reports dated July 10. CBI has further filed reports on July 17 and 21. Disclosure shows probe is on and CBI indicates that material shows 155 students drawn from the exam centres at Hazaribagh and Patna appeared to be the beneficiaries of the fraud," noted the Chief Justice Dhananjaya Y. Chandrachud.

The Chief Justice further said that the probe by the CBI has not attained finality and this court had in a previous order required the union to indicate whether certain trends regarding abnormality or otherwise could be drawn from results from 4,750 centres in 571 cities. "The Union of India has produced the analysis by IIT Madras indicating position on the basis of data analytics. At this stage the court has independently scrutinised the data placed on record by NTA. At the present stage there is absence of material on record to lead to conclusion that result of the exam is vitiated or that there is a systemic breach of the sanctity of the exam," said the CJI.

Reacting to the ungoing investigation, the SC said, "If the probe reveals increased number of beneficiaries, then action shall be taken against any such student at any stage not withstanding the completion of counselling process. No student who is revealed to have been in this fraud or a beneficiary would be entitled to claim any vested right in continuance of admission."

The CJI further said, "The court realises 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 and cause disruption of admission schedule, cascading effects on the course of medical education, impact on availability of qualified medical professionals in the future and seriously disadvantageous for the marginalised group for whom reservation was made in allocation of seats. Thus, we are of the view that ordering cancellation of the entire exam is neither justified on application of settled principles propounded by this court on the basis of material on record."