“The government is going to form a high committee. Recommendations will be expected from that high-level committee to further improve NTA, its structure, functioning, examination process, transparency and data security protocol,” said Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
The minister informed that the errors in NEET examination limited to specific region. He further asserted that strict action to be taken against any official of NTA if found guilty.
Earlier on Wednesday, the Ministry of Education ordered the cancellation of UGC-NET conducted by the National Testing Agency following inputs that the integrity of the examination may have been compromised and the matter has been handed over to the CBI for a thorough investigation. Additionally, the ministry sought a detailed report from the Economic Offences Unit of the Bihar Police over the alleged irregularities in the conduct of the NEET(UG) examination-2024 in Patna.
Commenting on probe by Bihar police, Pradhan says, “In the context of the NEET exam, we are in touch with Bihar government. We are receiving some information from Patna. Police Police are investigating and a detailed report will be submitted by them. Following credible information, strict action will be taken against the guilty.”
NEET case in Supreme Court:
The Supreme Court Thursday sought responses from the Centre, the National Testing Agency (NTA) and others on petitions seeking the cancelation of NEET-UG 2024, and a court-monitored probe into the alleged irregularities in the medical entrance exam. Earlier on June 18, the Supreme Court told the Centre and NTA that if there is any negligence in conducting the NEET-UG, 2024 exam, it should be thoroughly dealt with.”If there is 0.001 per cent negligence on the part of anyone, it should be thoroughly dealt with. All these matters ought not to be treated as adversarial litigation,” observed a vacation bench of Justices Vikram Nath and SVN Bhatti.
Several petitions were filed in the apex court seeking direction to recall NEET-UG 2024 results and to conduct the examination afresh, alleging paper leakage and malpractices in the test held on May 5. Aspirants have raised the issue of leakage of the question paper, awarding compensatory marks and anomalies in the question of NEET-UG 2024.
Earlier this month, the NTA told the Supreme Court that the scorecards of 1,563 NEET-UG 2024 candidates who got “grace marks” to compensate for the loss of time suffered while appearing for the exam will be cancelled and the students will have a chance to reappear for the exam.
“Exam will be conducted on June 23 and result will be declared before June 30,” NTA had told the apex court. The apex court had already refused to stay the counselling of NEET-UG, 2024.
