NEET 2024 scam: Political slugfest over ’fraud’ charges, fresh plea in SC seeks exam cancellation | 10 key points

The Medical entrance exam NEET-UG has become a centre of controversy with several irregularities allegations pertaining to the exams. From students demanding reneet, plea for CBI probe, grace marks, paper leak to now a political slugfest, here’s a look at what we know so far.

1. The Supreme Court on June 14 sought responses from the Centre and the NTA on a plea for a CBI probe into allegations of question paper leak and other irregularities in the exam. It added that the pleas will be taken up with other pending ones on July 8.

2. As reported by PTI, a petition has been submitted to the top court today by 20 students, requesting the cancellation of the NEET-UG 2024 exam. It also called for an investigation, supervised by the highest court, to be conducted by the CBI or another independent agency, into the purported irregularities in the test administered on May 5. The students who filed the petition had appeared for the medical entrance exam, has also sought a direction to the NTA and others to conduct the test afresh.

3. Earlier on Thursday, the Centre had informed the top court that the decision to grant grace marks to 1,563 NEET-UG 2024 candidates for admission to MBBS, BDS, and other courses has been revoked. It also informed that the NTA has decided to reconduct the NEET (UG) for 1563 candidates who had experienced time loss and these candidates can opt for a re-test on June 23. The results for the retest will be declared on June 30. However, the Centre added that if the candidate wishes to opt out of the retest, their previous marks, excluding the grace marks, will be considered for result purposes.

4. Currently, the NTA or the Centre has denied all the controvery claims. Moreover, the NTA said that the sanctity of the exam was not compromised. It rather attributed the rise in the number of top scorers to increase in the competitiveness of the exam and increase in performance standards.

5. Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan have said that that no child’s career will be in jeopardy and said that Centre is committed to protecting the interests of NEET examinees.

6. With students demanding reneet, the six students from Haryana who scored perfect score are now in mental distress. One topper told HT, “What if I did not make it this time? Society will laugh at me and my family members. This undue pressure is troubling me now and it will impact my studies too.”

7. Another topper student who scored 720 after grace marks added, “I have been the topper of my school in Class 10 and 12 and it was not magic that I did it again. The decision is just not fair as mentally we were relaxed amid celebrations by friends and family members. This news had turned into a nightmare,” as quoted by HT.

8. The NEET not only has caused protest among student, but the opposition have come heavuly on the BJP government. Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra slammed the party for “attacking the dreams of the youth as soon as it took oath.” Digvijay Singh demanded a probe and also called for the entire exam to be cancelled.

9. Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav also launched a fierce attack on the central government and said that whether the BJP is in power at Centre or in state, paper leaks are “inevitable”. Calling it a serious matter, Yadav wrote on X, “The accused in custody is admitting that the paper has been leaked. Candidates, parents, students, and youth, all worried. The entire system is suspicious but the NDA government is so immersed in arrogance that it is completely ignoring the credibility of examinations in the country.” Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin who has been the once who has called for NEET ban from the begining said, “Tamil Nadu was the first to say that NEET was a scam and now the entire country has started saying so, he said while speaking at a school education department function here. “We will surely end this one day. It’s our responsibility. Society, financial or political situation should not be a barrier to your education. This is my aim and also that of our Dravidian model of governance.”

10. Amid the controversy, many have been arrested across various states. As per PTI report, on June 14, five persons, including the principal and teacher of a school in Godhra town in Gujarat’s Panchmahal district were arrested for allegedly trying to help 27 candidates clear the NEET-UG for a sum of ₹10 lakh each.

(With inputs from agencies)