NEET-UG Row: Student bodies' of INDIA bloc parties slam Centre

Student outfits` leaders at the joint press conference in Delhi. Pic/ X

Student outfits of the INDIA bloc parties are demanding a re-examination to be held for NEET-UG entrance test after a row erupted over the alleged irregularities, reported PTI on Tuesday. The student outfits slammed the BJP-led centre while reiterating their demands and slammed the BJP-led Centre on Tuesday over alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG.

At a joint press conference held in Delhi, national leaders of the student outfits, including the Left-backed All India Students' Association (AISA), Students' Federation of India (SFI) and All India Students' Federation (AISF), along with the Samajwadi Chhatra Sabha and the Congress's student wing National Students' Union of India (NSUI), alleged that the future of lakhs of students is in danger due to rigging in the NEET-UG.

Additionally, the students demanded the scrapping of the National Testing Agency (NTA) along with resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over reported incidents of paper leak and corruption in the exam.

The NTA on Monday released the results of 1,563 candidates who appeared in a re-test to compensate for loss of time as the exam started late at six centres on May 5.

None of the five candidates who scored a perfect 720 marks in the May 5 exam could match their results in the re-test. The number of candidates sharing the top rank in the medical entrance test reduced to 61 from 67 in the revised results.

NEET-UG result 2024: NTA announces retest result, revised rank list

The National Testing Agency (NTA) on Monday declared the NEET-UG result 2024 and the revised rank list for the medical entrance exam, reported news agency PTI.

According to PTI, the NEET-UG result 2024 and the revised list was announced after a retest was conducted for candidates who were earlier awarded grace marks to compensate for loss of time as the exam on May 5 started late at six centres.

For the retest conducted at seven centres on June 23 following a Supreme Court order, 48 per cent of the 1,563 candidates did not appear.

National Testing Agency (NTA) officials reported that 813 of the 1,563 candidates appeared for the retest while the others opted for the marks without the grace, reported PTI.

Centre-wise, Chandigarh -- which had just two candidates -- registered zero attendance. The under-scanner Jhajjar centre registered 58 per cent attendance, with 287 of the 494 candidates taking the retest.

Allegations arose that the grace marks inflated scores, leading to six candidates from a single Haryana centre achieving a perfect 720, along with 61 others. Consequently, the top court ordered the cancellation of the grace marks and provided an option for a retest.

"At least 52 per cent -- 813 out of 1,563 candidates -- appeared for the retest. No candidates appeared in Chandigarh while the numbers were 291 from Chhattisgarh, one from Gujarat, 287 from Haryana, and 234 from Meghalaya," a senior NTA official earlier told PTI.

The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test-Undergraduate (NEET-UG) was held on May 5 across 4,750 centres, with approximately 24 lakh candidates appearing for it. Initially expected on June 14, the results were announced on June 4 due to early completion of answer sheet evaluations, reported PTI.

Sixty-seven students scored a perfect 720, an unprecedented number in the NTA's history, with six from a single centre in Haryana, raising suspicions of irregularities and the role of grace marks.

NEET-UG is conducted by the NTA for admissions to MBBS, BDS, AYUSH and other related courses in government and private institutions.

The allegations of irregularities, including paper leaks, have led to protests and litigation, with various quarters demanding a complete re-examination, reported PTI.

The Centre, however, has maintained that incidents of irregularities were "localised" and it could not jeopardise the careers of lakhs of candidates who rightfully cleared the exam, reported PTI.