"These Are Empty Boxes...": Exam Body NTA On Viral Video

After videos of several trunks kept outside the hall of National Testing Agency made rounds on social media, with many claiming that the boxes contained the answer sheets of the recently conducted CUET-UG exam, the testing agency has refuted the claims and said that the boxes in the video are empty and contain no sensitive material.

The NTA posted a video on X (formerly twitter) showing that the boxes kept outside the hall of the examination body are empty and said that the security personnel were present where the boxes were kept. 

Captioning the video, the NTA said, "These are empty boxes kept outside the hall at NTA and do not have any sensitive material inside them. Never did we keep these boxes in open, as being reported by the media. Also, we have sufficient number of security personnel deployed at the place where boxes are kept."

This comes amid the ongoing row over the alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG exam. The CBI is investigating multiple cases of paper leak of the medical exam and has made several arrests so far. 

The NEET exam controversy also found mention in President Droupadi Murmu's address in the Parliament today. "The recent irregularities and paper leaks are being dealt with strongly (and) the government's focus is on improving the exam process," she said. 

The Supreme Court today issued a notice to the NTA after hearing a petition filed by a learning app alleging exam rigging in the NEET-UG. The NTA has to respond to the notice by July 8. 

The NEET-UG exam, which was conducted on May 5 by the NTA, was embroiled in controversy after 67 students scored a perfect 720, with six of them being from the same centre. There was uproar over 'grace marks' awarded to 1,563 students as well.