The petition raises serious concerns about the integrity of the NEET-UG exam held on May 5.
New Delhi:
The Supreme Court today issued a notice to the National Testing Agency (NTA) following a petition filed by a learning app alleging test manipulation in the recently conducted NEET-UG exams. The court has directed the NTA to respond to the notice by July 8, when the hearing on the matter will be held.
The petition raises serious concerns about the integrity of the NEET-UG exam held on May 5. The results of this exam, announced on June 4, have been mired in controversy with accusations of irregularities and malpractices. The petitioners claim that more than 1,500 students received grace marks, which has had a significant impact on the overall ranking and fairness of the exam.
Apart from the Supreme Court, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has also been tasked with investigating several cases related to alleged document leaks and examination tampering. The CBI probe spans several states and has already led to the questioning of people and several arrests in connection with the case.
The petitioners, represented by the training center and other students, defended the students’ right to access their optical mark recognition (OMR) sheets.
However, Justice Manoj Mishra and Justice SVN Bhatti, presiding over the case, questioned the fundamental rights allegedly violated by the NTA’s actions.
Addressing a joint session of Parliament today, President Droupadi Murmu said the government is committed to investigating allegations of exam leaks.
“If for any reason there is obstruction in the examinations, it is not appropriate. Sanctity and transparency are a must in government procurement and examinations,” he said. “The government is committed to conducting a fair investigation and ensuring the strictest punishment to those guilty of the recent paper leak incidents.”