The results for the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test-Undergraduate (NEET UG) 2024 have been engulfed with various controversies of paper leak, inflated marks and other anomalies. There have been a total of 67 candidates who secured the AIR rank 1 this year. Nearly eight students have got the same marks from one centre.
Many students and parents have approached the courts challenging the alleged undue advantage given to some students over others and other irregularities.
Explainer: What Is The Controversy Surrounding NEET UG 2024 Results
Plea in the apex court
A plea was lodged in the Supreme Court urging a re-evaluation of the medical entrance examination. The plea was filed by Shivangi Mishra and others who cited that the alleged paper leak of NEET was violative of Article 14 (right to equality) under the Constitution as it gave undue advantage to some students over others.
Unfair to award marks for two correct options
The Delhi High Court sought the National Testing Agency's (NTA) stand earlier on a petition filed by a NEET-UG candidate who raised grievance regarding a question that had two correct answers in the answer key. The petition maintained that equal marks should be awarded to those who did not attempt the question as has been done for those who attempted either of the two correct answers. The petition further asserted that the authorities compromised the fairness by awarding marks to two correct options when the instructions had clearly indicated that only one option was correct.
What is the NCERT book controversy?
Nearly 44 top scorers in the NEET UG 2024 exam answered a basic Physics question incorrectly based on NCERT old book. The incorrect answer was disputed by over 13,000 students after the release of the answer key on May 29, 2024. Candidates disputed against the provisional answer key maintaining that students who did not answer the question over fear of negative marking have a disadvantage over others. The NTA awarded the marks to all the students who answered both options directing that the students should not be penalised for using NCERT textbooks for NEET preparation. These students gained extra marks due to an older version of the NCERT class 12 textbooks.
Eight toppers from same centre
A complaint was filed with Additional Deputy Commissioner Jind to probe the alleged anomalies in the NEET examination. The complaint was filed by parents of some of the protesting kids against the eight toppers who were from the same centre in Jhajjar, Haryana.
Will NEET be held again?
Meanwhile, a committee has been formed to analyse the issue of the irregularities in the medical entrance exam. The Education Ministry has created the Grievance Redressal Committee to examine whether to hold the exam for the second time or not. Nearly 23 lakh students appeared in the exam. Of these, only 1,600 candidates from six centres have been affected with the controversy.