NEET 2024 Result Controversy: NTA Clarification on Scoring System, Answer Key Challenge and Unfair Means

NTA has released a detailed press release throwing light on the NEET 2024 result controversy. Students and stakeholders have questioned the integrity and credibility of NTA’s conduct of the exam and result computing process. Read NTA’s clarification on each of the questions.

Ever since the NEET 2024 result was declared on June 4, 2024, students and stakeholders questioned various anomalies in the NEET 2024 merit list, toppers and scoring system. As many as 67 candidates have scored full marks in the exam, in contrast to two or three candidates in the past few years. Moreover, two candidates have scored 718 and 719 out of 720 in NEET 2024, which is impossible as per the marking scheme.

Issuing a press release on June 6, 2024, NTA has thrown lights on these matters or the questions raised by candidates regarding the NEET 2024 result.

How Did Candidates Score 718 and 719?

NTA had earlier stated that based on few Writ Petitions filed by the candidates of NEET 2024 before the High Court of Punjab & Haryana, Delhi, and Chhattisgarh, raising concerns of loss of exam time during the conduct of the exam at few exam centres, NTA decided to award grace marks to such candidates to compensate the loss of time.

A Grievance Redressal Committee examined factual reports and CCTV footages to investigate the petitions. After confirming the loss of examination time, such candidates were compensated with marks based on their answering efficiency and time lost, as per the mechanism/ formula established by the Supreme Court of India.

NTA stated, “Candidates were compensated for the loss of time and the revised marks of such candidates vary from -20 to 720 marks. Amongst these, the score of two candidates also happens to be 718 and 719 marks respectively due to compensatory marks. On the analysis of the CCTV footage, it was ascertained that the integrity of the examination was not compromised at these Centre.”

Reason for High Number of Candidates Scoring Full Marks

A total of 67 candidates have scored 720 out of 720, all of whom have secured an All India Rank (AIR) 1. This fact has also been questioned by stakeholders. Some have also indicated that the alleged paper leak, and several toppers appearing from the same NEET exam centre might be a reason. However, NTA has quashed these allegations and have provided justifications.

According to NTA, there was approximately 15 per cent increase in the number of NEET 2024 takers. “The number of candidates who appeared in 2023 was 20,38,596, while the number of candidates who appeared in 2024 increased to 23,33,297. The increase in candidates naturally led to an increase in high scorers due to a larger pool of candidates,” NTA said.

Bonus Marking Due to NEET 2024 Answer Key Challenge Led to Full Score of 44 Candidates

NTA further added that bonus marking for one question with two correct answer options has led to 44 candidates getting 720 marks. “NTA received 13,373 challenges to the provisional answer key of one question in Physics. Due to the differences in the old and new editions of the NCERT textbook, the Subject Expert(s) held that two options be taken as correct in place of one option for this Question. Out of the 67 candidates who got 720/720 marks, 44 are on account of the revision in one Answer Key of Physics and 06 are on account of compensatory marks for loss of time.”

The question, which had two correct answer options as per the NEET 2024 final answer key is as follows:

Q: Given below are two statements:

Statement I: Atoms are electrically neutral as they contain equal number of positive and negative charges.

Statement II: Atoms of each element are stable and emit their characteristic spectrum. In the light of the above statements, choose the most appropriate answer from the options given below.

(1) Both Statement I and Statement II are correct

(2) Both Statement I and Statement II are incorrect

(3) Statement I is correct but Statement II is incorrect

(4) Statement I is incorrect but Statement II is correct 

Answer: 1, 3

According to the marking scheme of NEET 2024 stated by NTA, If more than one option is found to be correct then Four marks (+4) will be awarded to only those who have marked any of the correct options.

Responding to the allegation that candidates from a particular NEET exam centre of Rajasthan have scored 720 out of 720, NTA has mentioned, “It is pertinent to mention that the toppers are from across the country, as highlighted in the Press Release dated 04.06.2024.”

NTA on Maintaining Transparency and Combatting Unfair Means

The exam conducting body further stated that NTA has maintained transparency throughout the NEET 2024 exam tenure, right from the beginning of the application process to the release of the result. Relevant statistics have also been shared by NTA through the press release dated June 4, 2024.

There Has Not Been Any Paper Leak: NTA

NTA maintained its stand that there has not been any NEET 2024 question paper leak. There were cases of impersonations, against which NTA has taken adequate actions. “NTA has registered cases against impersonators and some cases have been registered by the State Police. NTA has been extending support, wherever required, to the agencies in investigating cases pertaining to NEET (UG) 2024. While the outcome of the investigation in aforesaid cases is awaited, NTA has categorically denied any case of paper leak. NTA also issued a detailed Press Release on 06 May 2024 stating that there has not been any paper leak as was being circulated on social media. The same stand has been reiterated and NTA maintains that the integrity of the examination was not compromised,” stated NTA.

NEET 2024 exam was conducted on May 5, 2024, in 4,750 test centres located in 571 cities across India and abroad. As many as 13,16,268 candidates qualified for NEET 2024 out of 23,33,297 test takers.

Read More:

• NEET UG 2024 Results Controversy: Students Demand Action from PM and Education Ministry
• NTA Clarifies NEET UG 2024 Exam Time Loss Compensation, Announces Results
• NEET 2024 Result Declared at exams.neet.ac.in/NEET; Steps to Download NEET UG Scorecard