Explained: Why NEET is not so neat this year!

The students and parents are demanding a re-examination, alleging paper leaks, grace marks to some students, and other discrepancies.

The National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) UG results have created a storm. The students and parents are demanding a re-examination, alleging paper leaks, grace marks to some students, and other discrepancies.

NEET-UG is an entrance test to seek admissions to medical, dental, and AYUSH courses at both government and private institutions across India. The National Testing Agency (NTA), which conducts the exam, is currently under scrutiny.

This year, the NEET-UG was held on May 5. Around 2 million students wrote the examinations across 571 cities, including 14 outside India, competing for 1,08,940 MBBS seats in over 700 medical institutions nationwide.

Key points about NEET controversy

67 toppers!

This year, NEET declared 67 toppers, an unusual feat. These students received a perfect score of 720 which is quite difficult to achieve. Last year, only two students were able to achieve the magic number.

The NTA clarified that the increased number of toppers reflects the competitive nature of the exam and maintained that the test’s integrity had not been compromised.

Marking system

Questions have been raised over this year’s marking system. A student with correct answer receives 4 marks and loses 1 mark if the answer is wrong.

This year, however, some students scored 718/720 or 719/720, a number that can’t be obtained under the current marking system. To these allegation, the NTA responded that grace marks were awarded to some students who did not get sufficient time in their exam center. This, the NTA said, was in accordance with a court order.

Following this row, many students took to social media platforms to demand the cancellation of the results and a re-examination.

8 toppers from one exam center

Amongst the 67 toppers, eight NEET students topped from one center located in Faridabad, Haryana. What is even bizarre is these students have the same sequence of roll numbers. Protesting students and parents registered their dismay demanding a re-examination.

Paper leak allegations

Some students and parents have alleged paper leaks, a claim the NTA has vehemently refuted. On May 6, the NTA released a statement saying the allegations were “completely baseless and without any ground.” It said that it wanted to “set the record straight” and according to the rules students are only allowed to exit the hall with the question paper after the examination.

Petitions have been filed in two high courts – Delhi HC and Calcutta HC. The Calcutta High Court has responded by granting 10 days to the NTA to respond to the petition.

A group of candidates and their parents have also moved the Supreme Court seeking a fresh examination alleging that many cases of paper leaks came to fore on May 5.

Early declaration of results

NEET-UG results were announced on June 4, the same day when the 18th Lok Sabha results were declared. Interestingly, it was released 10 days ahead of schedule, i.e. June 14. Many students and parents allege this was done so that the discrepancies are not highlighted.

The NTA argued that the early declaration of results was because they wanted to process everything quickly. The cut-off scores were higher this year because more students performed better, making the exam more competitive, the NTA said.

“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,” a senior NTA official said.

Politicians react

Many Opposition leaders reacted to the NEET controversy. Congress senior leader Priyanka Gandhi took to X asking the Union government to check for irregularities.

“First the NEET exam paper was leaked and now students are alleging that there has been a scam in its results as well. Serious questions are being raised over 6 students from the same centre getting 720 out of 720 marks and many kinds of irregularities are coming to light. On the other hand, there are reports of many children committing suicide across the country after the results were announced. This is very sad and shocking. Why is the government ignoring the voice of lakhs of students? Students want answers to legitimate questions related to the rigging in the NEET exam results. Is it not the government’s responsibility to investigate and resolve these legitimate complaints?” she wrote on X

Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Friday, May 7, demanded a probe into the alleged irregularities in the NEET medical entrance exam.

“Candidates have expressed apprehensions of irregularities regarding the NEET exam and its result wherein several candidates from the same centre got full marks, and candidates with close roll numbers topped, ” he said on X.

Echoing the same, Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah slammed the Union government, stating that the entire country suspects huge illegalities in connection with the NEET results.]

“This year, 67 toppers have emerged. In the backdrop of negative marking, it is doubtful that such a number of students could score 100 percent marks. The Narendra Modi government must clarify whether this development is coincidental or a new experiment,” CM Siddaramaiah questioned.

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