Central government has taken a strong stance against cancelling the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test for Undergraduate (NEET UG) 2024. This decision comes amidst allegations surrounding the exam, which was held on May 5, 2024.
Government’s Stand on NEET UG 2024
The Ministry of Education filed an affidavit with the Supreme Court on July 5, 2024, asserting that there is no substantial evidence of widespread irregularities in the exam. The government emphasised that cancelling the exam and conducting a fresh one would be irrational and unfair to the majority of students who took the test honestly.
Key Points from the Government’s Affidavit:
- No proof of large-scale confidentiality breach
- Cancellation would jeopardize honest candidates’ interests
- Government adopts a solution-oriented approach
- CBI investigation ordered into alleged malpractices
- High-level committee formed to improve exam conduct
Addressing Concerns and Taking Action
While acknowledging the concerns raised by some candidates, the government has taken several steps to address the issue:
- CBI Investigation: A comprehensive probe has been ordered to look into alleged instances of impersonation, cheating, and malpractices.
- High-Level Committee: A committee has been formed to suggest measures for more effective, smooth, and transparent conduct of future examinations by the National Testing Agency.
- New Legislation: The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, came into effect on June 21, aimed at dealing with cheating and paper leaks in public examinations.
Supreme Court’s Involvement
The Supreme Court is set to hear the case on July 8, 2024. A bench led by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud will examine whether the exam was compromised and if a re-exam is necessary. However, the court has previously stated that it will not halt the ongoing counseling process for medical college admissions.
Controversial Results
Adding to the controversy, media reports suggest an unusually high number of perfect scores in the results published on June 4. Some candidates have also alleged irregularities in the award of compensatory marks for time loss during the exam.
Conclusion
As the debate continues, the government maintains its position that scrapping the entire exam would be detrimental to the vast majority of honest candidates. The upcoming Supreme Court hearing on July 8 is expected to provide more clarity on this contentious issue affecting the future of countless aspiring medical students across India.
