Alakh Pandey, the founder of the EdTech firm Physics Wallah, has approached the Supreme Court to address significant concerns surrounding the NEET-UG 2024 examination. Conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA), this crucial entrance test for admissions into MBBS and other medical courses has been mired in controversy over alleged irregularities.
Pandey’s petition alleges the arbitrary awarding of grace marks to over 1,500 candidates by the NTA. He has requested the establishment of an expert panel to scrutinise the examination process and results.
The NEET-UG 2024, held on May 5 across 4,750 centres, saw approximately 24 lakh candidates participate. While results were expected on June 14, they were announced early on June 4, purportedly due to expedited answer sheet evaluations.
The controversy began with allegations of question paper leaks and the granting of grace marks, leading to widespread protests and legal challenges in seven high courts and the Supreme Court.
The unprecedented performance, with 67 students scoring a perfect 720 —including six from a single centre in Faridabad, Haryana — has raised suspicions of irregularities.
On June 10, students gathered in Delhi, demanding a thorough investigation into these allegations. It is believed that the contentious grace marks may have contributed to the unusually high number of top scorers.
The NEET-UG examination, overseen by the NTA, is a gateway for medical admissions in both government and private institutions across India. However, the integrity of this year’s process has been called into question, prompting protests and legal scrutiny.
Also Read: Scorecards of 1,563 NEET-UG candidates to be cancelled, retest on June 23: Centre tells Supreme Court
In response to the uproar, Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan assured aspirants and parents that there is no substantial evidence of a paper leak. He said that the allegations are under investigation by competent authorities.
“There’s no evidence of any paper leak yet. There are allegations and competent authorities are looking into them. Certain allegations and loose information are coming in. Let us wait for the probe by the authorities concerned. Let’s wait till July 8 for the Supreme Court’s judgment. There’s nothing to hide…” the NDTV quoted Pradhan as saying.
The minister reassured students, noting that the Supreme Court has already delivered a judgment on the issue. He announced that all 1,563 affected students would have the opportunity to reappear for the exam, especially those from the six centres where time constraints were reported.
Despite these measures, questions remain about the NTA’s response before the Supreme Court’s intervention.
“That is not true. After the anomaly came to light, the NTA came up with a formula — the grace mark formula. It was cited by the Supreme Court as well. However, some anomalies were found in that formula because six students became the highest scorers on the list. That was an eyesore for many students,” Pradhan said.
A delegation of students and parents met with Pradhan, who urged them to trust the government’s intentions and efforts to rectify the situation. He dismissed calls to scrap the NEET, pointing out that the entrance exam remains a fair metric, citing last year’s top performer from a rural Tamil Nadu state board.
