NEET-UG 2024: 56 Top-Ranking Students Appeal to Supreme Court to Prevent Exam Cancellation Amidst Controversy

In a recent turn of events following the NEET UG retest for students who received ‘grace marks,’ over 50 students who qualified for NEET 2024, including top-ranked individuals, have filed a petition in the Supreme Court. They are asking the Court to step in and stop the cancellation of the exam that was conducted earlier this year by the Centre and the National Testing Agency (NTA).

According to a report by the news agency PTI, the petitioners want the Supreme Court to make the Union Education Ministry investigate and take strict action against those involved in unfair practices during the NEET-UG exam held on May 5. These unfair practices include paper leaks and impersonation.

The new plea, filed by Sidhharth Komal Singla and 55 other students through lawyer Devendra Singh, states, “The Hon’ble court may further direct the respondents (Centre and the NTA) not to re-conduct NEET-UG … as that would not only be unreasonable and harsh for the honest and hardworking students but also would lead to the infringement of the Right to Education and therefore violative of Article 14 (right to equality) of the Constitution.”

The petitioners, who are young students around 17-18 years old, have worked very hard for more than 3-4 years to achieve their dream of becoming doctors and have cleared the exam with their consistent efforts.

This legal action comes amid growing concerns about the conduct of the NEET-UG exam, with allegations of malpractices leading to widespread protests and political disputes in various cities. The NEET-UG exam is crucial for admissions to MBBS, BDS, AYUSH, and other related courses in both government and private institutions across the country. The NEET-UG 2024 exam saw participation from around 24 lakh candidates across 4,750 examination centers.

The plea from the 56 students comes just before an important hearing in the Supreme Court, led by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud. During this hearing, 26 petitions will be considered. These petitions are asking for solutions such as a retest and a thorough investigation into the alleged irregularities of the exam.

The Supreme Court is set to hear the pleas for the cancellation of the exam, a retest, and a detailed investigation into the exam’s administration on July 8. The outcome of this legal battle will have significant implications for the future of NEET-UG 2024 and the integrity of the admissions process for aspiring medical students across the nation.

(with inputs from PTI)