'Unnecessary Emotional Arguments': SC Refuses to Halt NEET Counselling, Dismisses Kota Suicide Link

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday addressed the issue of student suicides in Kota, clarifying that these deaths were not linked to the NEET-UG 2024 results. The court came down heavily on the petitioners, who were seeking a CBI investigation into alleged irregularities in the examination, for presenting emotionally charged arguments.

A vacation bench consisting of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta expressed strong objections to a claim made by one of the petitioner's counsels, who highlighted the suicides of students at Kota's coaching centers. Reiterating that the NEET counselling won't be stayed, Justice Vikram Nath firmly remarked, "Don't make unnecessary emotional arguments here."

Later, the bench issued a notice regarding the pleas seeking a CBI probe. The National Testing Agency (NTA) was instructed to file a response within two weeks, while other respondents, including the Centre, were given until July 8, the next hearing date.

NEET HEARING IN COURT

A vacation bench of justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta, which was hearing a PIL filed by Hiten Singh Kashyap, also sought responses from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Bihar government within two weeks.

It said the PIL will also be taken up with other pending ones on July 8, when the top court will start functioning after the summer vacation.

GRACE MARKS GIVEN TO 1,563 STUDENTS SCRAPPED

The Centre and the National Testing Agency (NTA) had on Thursday told the Supreme Court they had cancelled the grace marks given to 1,563 candidates who took the examination for admission to MBBS and other such courses. They will have the option to either take a re-test or forgo the compensatory marks awarded to them for the loss of time, the Centre had said.

The examination was held on May 5 across 4,750 centres and around 24 lakh candidates appeared for it. The results were expected to be declared on June 14 but were announced on June 4, apparently because the evaluation of the answer sheets was completed earlier. There have been allegations of question paper leaks in states like Bihar and other irregularities in the prestigious exam.

NATIONWIDE PROTESTS

The allegations have led to protests in several cities and filing of cases in seven high courts as also the Supreme Court. Today, a section of NEET candidates staged a protest march from Gate No. 02 of the Central Secretariat to Shastri Bhawan, demanding the cancellation of the NEET exam results. 

The candidates reached Shastri Bhawan, where they submitted a memorandum to the Education Ministry, voicing their concerns and seeking redressal. The NEET-UG examination is conducted by the NTA for admission to MBBS, BDS, AYUSH and other related courses in government and private institutions across the country