The Supreme Court reviewed petitions calling for a re-test or cancellation of the 2024 NEET-UG exam on Thursday, which had been marred by allegations of question paper leaks and questionable ‘grace marks’. The exam, held on May 5 for nearly 24 lakh candidates, faced scrutiny after reports emerged about a leak occurring just 45 minutes before the exam started.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta explained that a CBI probe revealed that unauthorized photos of the exam papers were taken between 8 AM and 9:20 AM at a center in Jharkhand’s Hazaribagh. The CBI has been investigating the incident. Chief Justice DY Chandrachud questioned whether it was feasible for all 180 questions to be solved within such a short window, given the exam began at 10:15 AM. Mehta replied that a gang of seven divided the questions among themselves, but Chandrachud remained skeptical about the 45-minute breach theory.
The court, prioritizing these petitions due to their significant impact on students, set the next hearing for July 22. Senior advocate Narender Hooda, representing some petitioners, argued that the NEET-UG 2024 should be canceled due to “systemic failures” and compromised paper transportation. He claimed papers were handled by a private courier and transported in an e-rickshaw, with the principal of the exam center later arrested for alleged involvement.
Solicitor General Mehta countered, asserting that a seven-layer security system was in place and that the CBI’s investigation covered all aspects of paper handling. The court inquired about the use of a private courier, but Mehta deferred his response.
The Supreme Court emphasized it would only order a re-test if evidence showed a large-scale loss of the exam’s “sanctity” due to the leak. Chief Justice Chandrachud stressed that a re-test must be based on concrete evidence that the entire exam was compromised. With 23.33 lakh students and only 1.08 lakh available seats, the court noted that a re-test requires substantial justification.
The controversy, sparked by social media claims of a question paper leak and a high number of perfect scores, continues to unfold. Despite these concerns, the government’s affidavit, supported by IIT Madras analysis, denied evidence of widespread malpractice or cheating.