The Supreme Court stated on Thursday that any order for re-conducting NEET-UG 2024 must be based on concrete evidence that the entire exam’s integrity was compromised.

A bench including Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra began a crucial hearing on petitions regarding the controversial NEET-UG 2024 exam, acknowledging its “social ramifications.” The court emphasized the urgency by prioritizing the NEET-UG cases, noting that “lakhs of young students are waiting.”

The bench instructed petitioners seeking the exam’s cancellation, re-test, and a court-monitored probe into the alleged May 5 exam irregularities to prove that the paper leak was “systemic” and affected the entire examination.

“Re-examination must be justified by concrete evidence that the entire test’s integrity was compromised,” stated the CJI.

Regarding the ongoing probe, the bench remarked, “The CBI investigation is ongoing. Disclosing details now would hinder the investigation.”

The hearing involves over 40 pleas, including those by the National Testing Agency (NTA) seeking to transfer pending cases from various high courts to the Supreme Court to avoid multiple litigations.

The top court had postponed the hearing to July 18 as responses from the Centre and NTA were pending. Over 23.33 lakh students took the exam on May 5 at 4,750 centers in 571 cities, including 14 overseas.

The Centre and NTA previously argued that cancelling the exam without proof of widespread breaches would be “counterproductive” and harm honest candidates. NEET-UG, conducted by the NTA, is essential for admissions to MBBS, BDS, AYUSH, and related courses in institutions nationwide.

Source: PTI

Also read: If sanctity of exam is lost, re-test has to be ordered: SC on NEET-UG 2024