Education Minister Hails Supreme Court's NEET Verdict, Calls for Apology from Rahul Gandhi

The Supreme Court of India, led by Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, ruled that there would be no re-exam for NEET UG 2024, finding no evidence of systemic breaches in the exam, thus making its cancellation unjustified.

Following the Supreme Court's landmark decision on the NEET UG 2024, Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan expressed his gratitude and relief in a statement, affirming the court's ruling as a victory for truth and fairness.

Minister's writes on X: "सत्यमेव जयते! Today’s verdict on NEET-UG will put speculations to rest and provide relief to lakhs of hardworking and honest students. Grateful to Hon’ble Supreme Court for the landmark verdict that upholds the interest of students," Pradhan wrote.

He emphasized that the judgement should serve as a wake-up call to those who have undermined the Indian examination system for personal or political gains.

He further criticized political leaders, particularly targeting Rahul Gandhi, stating, "Shri @RahulGandhi should apologize for playing with the sentiments of lakhs of students and their parents as well as for trying to gain political mileage out of it."

Supreme Court Verdict on NEET UG 2024

Earlier on July 23, the Supreme Court of India, led by Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, ruled that there would be no re-exam for NEET UG 2024, finding no evidence of systemic breaches in the exam, thus making its cancellation unjustified.

On July 22, the Supreme Court sought an expert opinion from IIT Delhi to resolve a contentious question in the NEET UG 2024 exam. A team of three experts from IIT Delhi, led by Director Prof. Banerjee from the Department of Physics, evaluated the question and submitted their opinion by July 23, 12 noon. The expert team concluded that option 4 was correct and that statement 2 was incorrect because atoms of radioactive material are not stable. Thus, the National Testing Agency (NTA) was correct in its answer key.

Court’s Observation on Exam Integrity

Chief Justice Chandrachud acknowledged arguments regarding the integrity of the exam. The bench, including Justices J.B. Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, heard from the union and mentioned that candidates with individual grievances could move to the High Courts for resolution.

SC Judgement on NEET UG 2024 Exam

Delivering the judgement, the Chief Justice addressed the central issue of whether a re-test should be conducted due to the alleged paper leak and systemic deficiencies. He noted that the NEET UG exam was conducted at 4,750 centres across 571 cities and 14 overseas locations. Highlighting that 24 lakh students competed for 1,08,000 seats, the court scrutinized data from NTA.

The court concluded that there was no substantial evidence to suggest that the exam results were compromised or that there was a systemic breach. Ordering a re-test would disrupt the admission schedule, impact medical education, and disadvantage marginalized groups benefiting from reservation policies.

No Re-Test for NEET UG 2024

The Supreme Court ruled against a re-test, citing the absence of material evidence suggesting a widespread issue. NTA had conducted a special test for 1,563 candidates, offering them the choice of a re-test or grace marks. The principal concern was maintaining the exam’s integrity without disrupting the process.

Candidates with specific grievances, unrelated to the court’s judgment, can approach the High Courts under Article 226 after withdrawing their petitions from the Supreme Court. Additionally, a seven-member expert committee has been formed by the union to ensure that future NEET UG exams are conducted without similar issues.

This decision aims to maintain the integrity of the NEET UG 2024 exam while addressing the concerns raised by the students and ensuring a fair and transparent process for future examinations.

• Supreme Court Rules: No Re-Exam for NEET UG 2024 Amid Paper Leak Allegations 
• Supreme Court on NEET UG 2024: CJI Orders IIT Delhi Committee to Investigate Exam Question, Hearing to Resume Tomorrow