SC: NEET retest if sanctity of exam lost

New Delhi, NT Bureau: The Supreme Court said Monday that if the sanctity of the medical entrance exam NEET-UG 2024 is "lost" and if the leak of its question paper has been propagated through social media, then a retest has to be ordered.

A bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud also said if the question paper leak was taking place through Telegram, WhatsApp and electronic means, then "it spreads like wildfire".

"One thing is clear that leak of question paper has taken place," the bench, also comprising Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, said.

"If the sanctity of the exam is lost, then a re-test has to be ordered. If we are unable to identify those who are guilty, then a re-test has to be ordered," the bench observed, adding that if the leak was propagated through social media, then a re-test has to be ordered.

"Let us not be in self-denial about what happened," it said, adding, "Assuming that the government does not cancel the exam, what will it do to identify the beneficiaries of the question paper leak?"

The apex court was hearing more than 30 pleas related to the controversy-ridden NEET-UG 2024, including those alleging irregularities and malpractices in the May 5 test and seeking a direction to conduct it afresh.

"There is no question that leak of question paper has taken place. We are determining the extent of the leak," the bench observed. It said there were certain "red flags" as 67 candidates had scored 720 out of 720.

"In the previous years, the proportion was very low," the bench added. The top court said it wanted to know how many people benefited from the question paper leak and what actions were taken against them by the Centre. "Results of how many wrongdoers have been withheld, and we want to know the geographical distribution of such beneficiaries," it asked.

 The lawyers representing a petitioner started the submissions, saying that they were seeking the cancellation of the exam on grounds such as paper leak, OMR sheet manipulation, impersonation and cheating.

The Centre and the NTA, which conducts NEET-UG, recently told the apex court through their affidavits that scrapping the exam would be "counterproductive" and "seriously jeopardise" lakhs of honest candidates in the absence of any proof of large-scale breach of confidentiality.