Supreme Court and CJI Chandrachud Deny NEET-UG Re-exam: 10 Key Points Amid Controversy

CJI Chandrachud Deny NEET-UG Re-exam: Ruling out the cancellation or re-test of the NEET-UG exam, the Supreme Court stated that there is insufficient evidence to conclude that the results of the NEET-UG 2024 exam are invalid or that there was a systemic breach.

Amid an ongoing controversy and political dispute, the Supreme Court on Tuesday ruled out the cancellation and retest of the NEET-UG 2024 exam.

A bench comprising Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, Justice J.B. Pardiwala, and Justice Manoj Misra heard arguments on multiple pleas related to the NEET examination, which sought a re-test due to allegations of question paper leaks and other malpractices.

The court stated that ordering the cancellation of the entire NEET-UG exam is not justified based on the settled principles it has established.

What CJI Chandrachud said

It is undisputed that the NEET-UG 2024 leak occurred in Hazaribagh and Patna.

At this stage, the court has independently reviewed the data provided by the NTA. There is a lack of evidence to conclude that the exam results are compromised or that there was a systemic breach of the exam’s integrity.

According to Bar and Bench, CJI Chandrachud reported that the data on record does not suggest a systemic leak of the question paper that would disrupt the sanctity of the exam.

The Court follows the established principle of distinguishing between tainted and untainted elements. Additionally, as quoted by Live Law, CJI Chandrachud stated that if the investigation uncovers a larger number of beneficiaries, appropriate action will be taken against them.

The court emphasized that if the probe identifies additional beneficiaries, action will be taken against these students at any stage, even if the counseling process has already concluded.

The CJI acknowledged that ordering a new NEET-UG exam for the current year would have significant consequences for the over 24 lakh students who participated in the exam.

The court noted that the NTA had conducted a special test for 1,563 candidates, who were given the choice to either take a re-test or forgo grace marks. The NTA is directed to proceed accordingly.

It was clarified that if any student has an individual grievance not addressed by this judgment, they may pursue their rights and remedies through legal channels, as reported by Live Law quoting the CJI.

The court also stated that to approach the High Court, petitioners must first withdraw their petitions currently pending before this court.

Regarding the issue of two correct options for a physics question, the apex court stated that the expert panel confirmed there was only one correct option, which is option four. Accepting the IIT Delhi report, the CJI directed that the NTA revise the NEET-UG 2024 results based on option four as the only correct answer.