In a major setback to unsuccessful aspirants of NEET-UG 2024, the Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed the pleas seeking cancellation and re-test of the controversy-ridden exam, holding that there was no evidence on record to conclude that it was “vitiated” on account of “systemic breach” of its sanctity. The interim verdict, to be followed by a detailed and reasoned order, came as a shot in the arm for the embattled NDA Government and the National Testing Agency (NTA), which were facing strong criticism and protests, on streets and in Parliament, over alleged large-scale malpractices like question paper leak, fraud and impersonation in the prestigious test held on May 5.

 

Over 23 lakh students took up the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test-Undergraduate (NEET-UG) in 2024 for admissions to MBBS, BDS, AYUSH and other related courses. A bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra concluded the four day-long proceedings where they heard submissions from a battery of lawyers, including Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre and the NTA, and senior advocates Narender Hooda, Sanjay Hegde and Mathews Nedumapra. Instead of reserving the verdict, the bench re-assembled around 4:50 pm and started dictating the order, saying, “In a matter like this, final conclusions of the court be recorded at the present stage since there is an urgent need to provide certainty and finality to the dispute which has occurred and affects the career of over 2 million students.”