NEET UG 2024: More Than 4 Lakh Students Set To Lose Marks, Details Here

New Delhi: After accepting the report of Indian Institute of Technology Delhi over a disputed question in the NEET UG 2024 exam, Supreme Court has directed the National Testing Agency (NTA) to announce the revised results for the examination which will see more than 4 lakh students losing their “grace marks” that were given by the examination conducting body.

Grace Marks Given For Selecting Two Options   

The NTA had treated two options as the correct answers to a question related to atomic theory. Grace marks were given to 4,20,774 candidates who opted for Option 2 whereas  9,28,379 students had selected Option 4. 

The apex court asked the IIT Delhi to look into the question and provide its analysis. IIT Delhi in its report stated that Option 4 of that question is deemed to be correct which means that those who opted for option 2 will lose marks in the revised results, which will be announced soon. 

"Option 2 and 4 are mutually exclusive and both cannot stand together. We accept the report of the IIT Delhi. Accordingly, NTA shall revise the result of the NEET UG 2024 on the basis of option 4 as extracted above as the only correct answer. We have not indicated the number of the question since the number of the question and the option is likely to vary in view of the procedure which is followed in the exam," the court stated.

Appearing for the Union, Solicitor General said that the NTA took the decision to award marks for option 2 after receiving several representations from students who used the old textbooks of their siblings to prepare for the exam. 

The Supreme Court replied to the Solicitor General saying that they will go by what IIT Delhi thinks is the correct option.

Of the 61 students who achieved a perfect score of 720/720, 44 were awarded grace marks for selecting option 2. 

No NEET UG Retest 

The court noted that ordering a fresh examination for this year would have significant repercussions for the over 24 lakh students who have already taken the test. The court accepted that the leakage of the question paper is "not in dispute."

Absence of Evidence 

However, it stated that there is currently no evidence to determine whether the exam results were compromised or if there was a systemic breach in the integrity of the examination.

"Data on record is not indicative of a systemic leak of the question paper, which would lead to the destruction of the sanctity of the exam," the CJI-led Bench ruled.

The apex court was hearing a batch of pleas seeking direction to recall NEET-UG 2024 results and to conduct the examination afresh, alleging paper leakage and malpractices in the test held.

The bench led by CJI DY Chandrachud, Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra noted that directing a fresh NEET UG for the present year would be replete with serious consequences which will be for over 24 lakh students who appeared in this exam.. and cause disruption of admission schedule and cascading effects on the course of medical education."

The apex court said that the sanctity of the exam cannot come under dispute as there is an absence of material on record. 

CJI-led bench said that ordering cancellation of the entire exam is neither justified on application of settled principles propounded by the apex court on the basis of material on record. 

NEET-UG examination, conducted by NTA, is the pathway for admissions into MBBS, BDS and AYUSH and other related courses in government and private institutions across the country.