Centre Denies Mass Malpractice in NEET-UG 2024, Opposes Exam Cancellation Petition
Last Updated on July 10, 2024 by News Desk
The Union Government has filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court denying any mass malpractice in the NEET-UG 2024 exam. The Centre claims that data analytics from the Indian Institute of Technology Madras showed no abnormalities in marksa distribution, and there is neither any indication of mass malpractice nor a localised set of candidates being benefited leading to abnormal scores.
On the last hearing date (July 8), a bench led by CJI DY Chandrachud sought responses from the Union/NTA on the extent of paper leak and possible segregation of the wrongdoers from others. The court said that if the sanctity of the entire exam has been affected and it was impossible to seperate the beneficiaries of fraud from the honest candidates, then a re-test may be necessary.
The Centre also submitted that IIT Madras undertook an exhaustive technical evaluation of the exam data. It stated that there is an overall increase in marks obtained by students, specifically in the range of 550 to 720, which is seen across cities and centres due to a 25% reduction in syllabus. Candidates obtaining such high marks are spread across multiple cities and centers, indicating very less likelihood of malpractice.
The Centre has also underlined the steps taken by the Centre to maintain the sanctity of the exam, stating that the Union of India is committed to making a robust examination process for conducting competitive examinations in a fair and transparent manner. The Centre and the NTA have previously filed affidavits opposing the demand to cancel the NEET-UG 2024 exam, stating that instances of malpractices are localized and not widespread.