NEET-UG 2024 Exam Controversy: Petition Raises Questions over Integrity and Fairness

Allegations of injustice and lack of transparency marred the NEET-UG 2024 exam conducted by NTA, as highlighted by Kota educationist Nitin Vijay, who is set to file a petition in the Supreme Court demanding a re-examination or abolition of grace marks. He cited instances of anomalies between mark sheets and OMR sheets, and questions NTA's basis for granting grace marks.

Kota (Rajasthan): The NEET-UG 2024 exam conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) has stirred up controversy, with allegations of irregularities and calls for a re-evaluation or abolition of grace marks coming to the fore. Kota educationist, Nitin Vijay, will move a petition to the Supreme Court, representing around 20,000 aggrieved candidates.

Vijay in his petition has demanded a re-examination or the elimination of grace marks. He alleged that the irregularities marred the examination process, citing instances of anomalies between mark sheets and OMR sheets, and lack of transparency in NTA's handling of complaints.

Allegations Against NTA

Vijay has accused NTA of injustice towards many students, highlighting the absence of transparency during complaints filed at the NTA office. He also pointed out the incidents where student's mark sheets did not align with their OMR sheets, with NTA staff attributing to the alleged OMR sheet destruction.

Citing an example, Vijay said, a student along with her parents came to register her complaint that she got 605 marks in the mark sheet while she got 652 marks in the OMR sheet. Furthermore, he questioned NTA's basis for granting grace marks in an offline exam like NEET.

Questions Raised in the Petition

The petition raises several pertinent questions, including the unusual occurrence of 67 candidates sharing the All India First Rank, the early release of of results, and discrepancies in the marks awarded. Additionally, it also questions the significant spike in the NEET cut-off marks and the validity of using CCTV footage to assess the accuracy of the students in an offline examination.

Concerns Over Grace Marks

Vijay expressed doubtfulness towards NTA's rationale for awarding grace marks, citing ambiguity in the process and the lack of mention in the official bulletins. He argued against the applicability of court instructions meant for online exams like CLAT to an offline exam like NEET, questioning the fairness of granting grace marks only to students who lodges complaints.

As the controversy surrounding NEET-UG 2024 exam surfaces, the petition filed by Nitin Vijay brings to light the grievances of thousands of candidates. With allegations of irregularities and lack of transparency against NTA, the Supreme Court's response to the petition will be eagerly awaited by students and stakeholders alike.