More than 50 NEET 2024-eligible students, including many now top rankers, have sought a restraining order against the Center and the National Examinations Agency (NTA) from canceling the controversial exam after the NEET UG re-examination for students with ‘mercy marks’ was successfully conducted. They have filed a petition in the Supreme Court
News agency PTI reported that the petitioners have requested the Supreme Court to direct the Union Education Ministry to investigate, identify and take strict action against the students and others involved in unfair practices like question paper leakage and impersonation in the NEET-UG examination held on May 5 this year.
A fresh petition by 56 students has been filed days before the Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice TY Chandrachud.
The National Eligibility and Entrance Test (NEET-UG) is conducted by the National Examinations Agency for admission to MPBS, BDS, AYUSH and other related courses in government and private medical colleges across the country. NEET UG, 2024 was conducted on May 5 at 4,750 centers and around 24 lakh candidates appeared for the exam.
Allegations of irregularities, including the question paper leak, led to protests in several cities and criticism from opposition parties.
Petitions seeking annulment of the examination, re-examination and high-level hearing are listed for hearing in the Supreme Court on July 8. Meanwhile, Siddharth Komal Singla and 55 other students have filed a fresh petition through advocate Devendra Singh.
“The Hon’ble Court may further direct the respondents (Central Government and National Examinations Agency) not to re-conduct the NEET-UG examination… as the re-examination is not only unfair and harsh to the honest and hardworking students but also leads to violation of right to education and Article 14 (Right to Equality) of the Constitution. Violated,” PTI reported.
The petition sought a direction to the Central Government and the National Examinations Agency to identify and punish candidates following unfair means, identify examination centers and take appropriate action “in case of any compromise of the established guidelines for the NEET-UG 2024 examinations”.
