NEET 2024: Demanding halt to seat allocation in medical colleges, petitioner to file interlocutory application in SC

New Delhi: Following the refusal to halt the NEET 2024 counselling process by the Supreme Court, a petitioner has decided to file an interlocutory application in the apex court urging it to freeze seat allocation in medical colleges. 

Attorney J. Nedumpara Mathews, representing the petitioner, mentioned that their future plan aims to persuade the apex court to halt the allocation of seats in medical colleges by submitting the petition since the apex court refused to stop the counselling process and issued a notice to the National Testing Agency (NTA) seeking the agency's response to the matter.

The Medical Dialogues team on June 11 reported that the Supreme Court issued a notice to the NTA demanding answers. Justice Amanullah told the NTA's counsel "It is not that simple that because you have done it is sacrosanct. Sanctity has been affected, so we need answers." "How much time you want? Immediately on the re-opening? Otherwise, the counselling will start."

Also read- 'Sanctity Of NEET Affected!': Supreme Court Seeks Response From NTA, Refuses To Halt NEET 2024 Counselling

The plea alleged that NEET-UG, 2024, was riddled with "malpractices" as various instances of paper leaks have come to the knowledge of the petitioners.

The alleged paper leak was violative of Article 14 (right to equality) under the Constitution as it gave an undue advantage to some candidates over others who chose to attempt the examination in a fair manner,

Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, Mathews said, “The court acknowledged that the sanctity of the exam had been defeated. I believe there should be a retest as it affects a large number of students. Many students were claiming way before the exam that they had the answers before them. Most students who had attained good ranks were undeserving. The evidence we have got has come from the students themselves. A CBI-level inquiry should take place to investigate this matter. These paper leaks could not have happened without the connivance of an official.”

Further, he added, "The number of students who had scored more than 650 marks, out of the total 720, this year was five times higher than in 2023. The number of students scoring 720/720 had shot up manifold."

Dr Navadeep Ashwini, state secretary of the Indian Medical Association, Medical Students Network told the daily, "On May 4, the day before the test, students had expressed concerns regarding the question paper leaks. On social media, many had shared their worries. The NTA wants to sidestep responsibility and portray that the issue only concerns 1,568 students who received grace marks. Many more students have been affected."

Dr Ashwini shared some screenshots with Deccan Chronicle of Telegram chats, where a person named Vishal Chaurasia had claimed to have sold question papers to about 80 students for crores of rupees. As per the chats, Chaurasia claimed after the results that only eight students had genuinely earned 720 marks whereas the rest had got the paper from him.

Similarly, the chairman of the Telangana Medical Council Dr Srinivas Gundagani said, “The NTA is only responding to the practicality of conducting the exam for about 24 lakh students. They have not clarified various other issues associated with the exam. They have cited a 2018 judgment of the Supreme Court for awarding grace marks but that judgment does not even apply to medical exams.” 

Dr Gundagani further said "47 students had got the first all-India rank due to grace marks. The cutoff mark this year was about 100 points higher than last year, causing an inflation of 60,000 ranks. The NTA needs to clarify these issues as well. Students have been facing many problem because of this. Effective enquiries need to be done."

“First of all, giving grace marks for competitive exams is not right. Grace marks are given for routine academic exams and in a subjective paper. Compensation of loss of time with grace marks does not make sense,” said Dr Ravi Teja, associate professor, of radiology, at Osmania Medical College.