New Delhi: The chief executive of EdTech firm 'Physics Wallah', Alakh Pandey, has moved the Supreme Court challenging the random award of grace marks by the National Testing Agency (NTA) to over 1,500 candidates, who appeared for NEET-UG, 2024 for admissions to medical courses.
The plea said the cause of action for filing the present writ petition arose on June 4, 2024, when NTA declared the result of National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test.
"The declaration of result was soon followed by news of a number of concerns involving grant of grace marks, abnormally high scores, high number of 100 per cent scores, high cut-off scores etc,” said the plea filed through advocate Aslam Ahmed Jamal.
"Seeing the concerns of a number of students and himself being frantically contacted by his students, the petitioner raised the queries on various forums so that appropriate clarifications may be issued NTA with respect to the same and answers may be provided to the queries raised by the students," added the plea.
Citing a press release issued by NTA on June 6, the plea said: "it is stated that while the press release attempts to address the queries, however, in reality it fails to do so”.
Advocate J Sai Deepak, representing Pandey, mentioned the plea for urgent listing on June 11 before a vacation bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath and Ahsanuddin Amanullah. The bench asked him to approach the apex court registry with his plea.
Deepak said Pandey has collected signatures from thousands of students which clearly shows that close to about 70 to 80 marks have been awarded in grace marks randomly to at least 1,500 students and added that the plea is challenging the arbitrary award of grace marks to candidates.
On Tuesday, the Supreme Court had issued notice on another plea highlighting irregularities in NEET-UG 2024 and also seeking the cancellation of the prestigious examination for medical courses. The apex court, which sought response from the National Testing Agency (NTA), said that NTA will have to give answers as the sanctity of the examination has been affected. The top court turned down a contention seeking a stay on the counselling, while the matter is pending before the court, and scheduled the matter for further hearing on July 8.
"It is not so simple.... as you have done it then it is sacrosanct. We need answers for that. Lot of things are coming and the sanctity has been affected. We need answers…”, said the apex court.
