NEET-UG 2024 Result to be Released by July 20 noon, check out for more details

The Supreme Court has directed the National Testing Agency (NTA) to release the NEET-UG results on July 20 while ensuring candidates' identities remain confidential. The court emphasized that canceling the exam would be a last resort, given its impact on over 23 lakh students. More than 23.33 lakh candidates took the exam on May 5 across various centers.

The NTA and the government opposed canceling the exam, arguing there was no evidence of a widespread confidentiality breach. The Medical Counselling Committee has asked medical colleges to update their seat information on its official portal. The next hearing is scheduled for July 22.

Concerns Over Paper Leaks and Syllabus Changes

The Supreme Court questioned the NTA about alleged paper leaks in Godhra and sought proof regarding an increase in the syllabus. The NTA clarified that a circulating Telegram video was fake. Additionally, the court inquired about center allotment processes and how many students changed their exam centers.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta countered claims of an unprecedented surge in NEET-UG toppers for 2024. He clarified that only 61 candidates scored perfect marks, not 67 as alleged. Six candidates received grace marks due to time loss at a specific center, while 44 achieved perfect scores after a revision of one answer key.

Distribution of Top Candidates

The Chief Justice of India reviewed an affidavit from the NTA, noting that the top 100 candidates were distributed across 12 states and one union territory, suggesting fair score distribution.

Petitioners raised concerns about irregularities, including a wrong question paper issued at a Bahadurgarh center in Haryana, where affected students later received grace marks. They also questioned the addition of new syllabus content without proper notification from the NTA.

Expert Opinions and Legal Proceedings

IIT-Madras was tasked with suggesting ways to identify students suspected of using unfair means. They reported that only 17 candidates obtained perfect scores based on provisional answer keys, while 44 scored perfectly due to an answer key revision.

Petitioners' counsel challenged the credibility of IIT-Madras's report, alleging that its Director is part of the NTA's governing body. The NTA informed the court that 131 students outside the top 1,08,000 requested a retest, while 254 within this group opposed it.

Impact on Students and Future Actions

The CJI stressed that a re-exam should only be considered if it is proven that the entire exam's integrity was compromised. Petitioners need to demonstrate that any NEET leak was systemic and affected all examinees.

The Supreme Court will continue hearing NEET petitions, considering social implications and students' futures. Proceedings can be watched online via live streaming.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested two more individuals connected to the NEET-UG 2024 paper leak case: Pankaj Kumar in Patna and Raju Singh in Hazaribagh. Kumar allegedly stole the question paper from an NTA trunk.

NTA's Clarifications and Government's Defense

The NTA denied allegations that 67 candidates scored perfect marks, stating only 61 achieved this due to syllabus reduction aimed at easing pandemic-related study challenges. The Medical Counselling Committee has asked colleges to upload seat lists by July 20 for upcoming counseling sessions.

The Union government defended NEET-UG 2024 in court, arguing against canceling it entirely as it would harm honest students' futures without proof of widespread confidentiality breaches. The Supreme Court acknowledged some compromise in exam integrity but reiterated cancellation as an extreme last resort due to its impact on over 23 lakh students.