Education Minister Denies Corruption in NEET-UG 2024 Following Supreme Court Verdict

"The government will present this in front of the Court. The NTA conducts three major examinations—NEET, JEE, and CUET—successfully in the country. We will take action against the people responsible," Dharmendra Pradhan added.

Following the Supreme Court's verdict on pleas challenging the NEET-UG 2024 results, Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has denied allegations of corruption in the examination process.

Addressing concerns, he stated, "There is no corruption. In connection with the NEET examination, 24 lakh students appear in the examination. A hearing in the Supreme Court is underway today, and this issue concerns around 1,500 students. The government is ready to give answers to the Court."

The Minister assured that the specific issues raised are being taken into serious consideration, with a committee of academicians formed to address them. "The government will present this in front of the Court. The NTA conducts three major examinations—NEET, JEE, and CUET—successfully in the country. We will take action against the people responsible," he added.

Supreme Court Proceedings on NEET UG 2024 and NTA's Response

During the hearing, the National Testing Agency (NTA) informed the Supreme Court that the scorecards of 1,563 NEET-UG 2024 candidates, who were previously awarded grace marks, have been canceled. These students were granted compensatory marks due to receiving less exam time. The affected candidates will now have the option to retake the exam on June 23, 2024, with their results expected before June 30, 2024.

Despite the ongoing petitions, the Supreme Court has refused to halt the NEET-UG 2024 counseling process. Emphasizing the importance of proceeding without delay, the apex court stated, “Why should we delay counseling and admission?”

The petitioners had raised concerns under Article 32, contesting the normalization formula used to award grace marks. In response, the NTA formed a committee to reassess this decision, which subsequently recommended canceling the affected scorecards and withdrawing the compensatory marks. "These candidates will be informed of their actual scores, without compensatory marks. A re-exam will be conducted for the affected 1,563 candidates. Results of those who don’t wish to reappear will be declared based on their actual marks," the Supreme Court Bench observed.

Next Steps and Future Hearings

The NTA, represented by Kanu Agarwal, assured the Court that a re-test notification would be issued today to ensure the re-exam on June 23, with results declared promptly to avoid disrupting the counseling process scheduled for July. The Supreme Court acknowledged the Union’s stance on the matter and has scheduled a hearing for July 8, 2024, to address allegations of unfair means and procedural lapses.

This decision and the government's proactive measures aim to maintain the integrity of the examination process while ensuring that the concerns of affected candidates are addressed transparently and fairly.