NEET Results Row: Doctors Extend Support to Aspirants, Write to NTA, NMC Demanding Investigation
New Delhi: The medical fraternity has extended its support to the NEET aspirants as doctors have now written to the National Testing Agency (NTA) and the National Medical Commission (NMC) demanding proper investigations in the allegations of paper leak in the exam.
While All India Medical Students' Association (AIMSA) has demanded a fair investigation into the alleged irregularities in the MBBS entrance exam, Indian Medical Association Junior Doctors' Network (IMA-JDN) has called for a CBI inquiry into the matter.
"We demand a CBI inquiry to the above said irregularities in the NEET 2024.We also request a re-examination to ensure a fair and transparent evaluation process for all students. The future of India’s education system depends on the integrity and fairness of such crucial examinations. We trust that you will consider our plea with the seriousness and take all the required actions," IMA JDN mentioned in the letter directed to NTA and NMC.
Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that NEET UG 2024 results shocked many as 67 candidates got the All India Rank 1 in the examination. Concerns were raised about other issues such as students securing 718 or 719 marks (which seems impossible because of the marking scheme), and several students from the same centre securing 720 marks in the exam.
Raising these issues, IMA JDN has now written to the Chairperson of NTA, the authority in charge of conducting the NEET UG exam, and the Chairman of the National Medical Commission (NMC), Dr. B.N. Gangadhar.
In the letter IMA JDN pointed out that some of the students in NEET UG 2024 scored 718 and 719 marks, terming it "statistically questionable". It should be mentioned in this regard that as per NEET marking scheme, every candidate is awarded 4 marks for every right answer and 1 mark is deducted for every wrong answer. Therefore, after the full marks i.e. 720, the candidates can only secure 716 marks if they leave one answer unattempted. Similarly, a candidate would get 715 marks if he/she gives one wrong answer.
Earlier defending the scorecards of such candidates securing 718 or 719 marks, NTA had clarified that grace marks were awarded to several candidates to compensate for the loss of time in the exam.
However, referring to this issue, IMA JDN mentioned in the letter, "There has been no defined logic for the grace marks given to these students. No list has been shared as per given grace marks to students."
"The provision for the grace marks due to time wastage, it should have been disclosed in the information bulletin before the exam. Why National Testing Agency has came up with the new rule after the examination ?" it added in the letter.
It further highlighted that many students received different marks on their scorecards compared to their OMR sheets.. Referring to such instances, IMA JDN mentioned in the letter, "These discrepancies were not due to grace marks, as these students were not from the centres where grace marks were purportedly given."
Addressing the fact that this year altogether 67 students secured All India Rank 1, the letter further added, "Total of 67 students scored a perfect 720 out of 720, which is highly questionable.This has never happened. Usually, only three to four students score perfect marks. Also, sixseven of these students, out of the 67 students, come from one just one centre in Haryana."
This year, NEET results were scheduled to be published on 14th June. However, the results were published on 04.06.2024. Referring to this, IMA JDN mentioned in the letter, "Results were declared prematurely on a day when the media was occupied with broadcasting the results of general elections. What is the reason for this urgency ?"
The association also addressed the issue of high cut off and mentioned, "There has been unprecedented increase in the cut off. The AIR of the same score has increase three to four times compared to previous NEET examination."
NEET Paper Leak Scam:
This year, the exam was mired in controversies after a paper leak scam was revealed in Bihar. Around 13 people, including four examinees and their family members were arrested in Bihar for their alleged involvement in the paper leak of NEET UG exam. Patna police sources had previously claimed that the NEET UG question papers along with their answers were provided to around 20 aspirants a day before the date of the exam i.e. May 5, 2024.
Then, the Economic Offences Unit (EOU) of Bihar Police, which took over the investigation, revealed that the brokers involved in the NEET paper leak scam took between Rs 30 lakh to Rs 50 lakh from each of the medical aspirants in exchange of giving them the question paper of the NEET UG 2024 question paper ahead of the examination.
Addressing these allegations of paper leak, IMA JDN added in the letter, "NEET 2024 paper was leaked in many locations but why no action has been taken yet ?"
Apart from IMA JDN, All India Medical Students' Association (AIMSA) has also extended its support to the NEET aspirants. "Recently results of NEET 2024 conducted by National Testing Agency(NTA)were declared. Students who appeared the exam are doubting about the irregularities noted in the results!" the letter by AIMSA, addressed to NTA Chairperson, mentioned.
The association highlighted that NEET paper was leaked but no appropriate action yet has been taken. It also pointed out that nearly sixty-seven students scored 720/720, "which is unusual".
"Some students scored 718/720 ,719/720 which is technically not possible. The provision for grace marks due to time wastage, it should have been disclosed in the information bulletin so that all students could have utilized this provision in similar situations," mentioned the association.
AIMSA mentioned that the trust upon authorities conducting exam is in doubt by its stakeholders. Demanding proper investigation, it added in the letter, "We request a fair investigation to the above said irregularities and regarding the NEET 2024 paper leak,as future career of thousands of students is at stake!"
Plea in HC and Supreme Court:
Addressing the issues, PILs were filed before the Supreme Court and the Patna High Court, seeking a fresh exam and a CBI probe into the issue. In the recent plea filed before the Supreme Court, the candidates raised the issue of paper leak and the sanctity of the test while seeking a direction for conducting a fresh examination.
It has been alleged in the plea that the NEET-UG test held on May 5 was riddled with malpractices as various instances of paper leaks came to the knowledge of the petitioners. The alleged paper leak of NEET 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.
Clarification from NTA:
Moreover, amid the social media uproar, NTA has twice issued clarifications on the matter. Soon after publishing the scorecard, NTA addressed the issue of candidates scoring 718 or 719 in the exam and informed that several candidates were awarded grace marks to compensate for their loss of time.
"NTA received few representations and Court Cases from the candidates of NEET (UG) 2024 raising concerns of loss of time during the conduct of the examination on 05.05.2024. Such cases/representations were considered by NTA and the normalisation formula, which has been devised and adopted by the Hon'ble Apex Court, vide its Judgment dated 13.06.2018, was implemented to address the loss of time faced by the candidates of NEET (UG) 2024.The loss of examination time was ascertained and such candidates were compensated with grace marks. So, candidate's marks can be 718 or 719 also," NTA had mentioned.
However, NTA's clarification could not address the doubts of the aspirants as they sought further details, asking how many candidates were given grace marks, which rules were applied to award grace marks etc. In fact, recently activist Dr. Vivek Pandey filed an RTI application before NTA seeking these details.
Then the NTA issued another clarification and informed that 1563 candidates were compensated for the loss of time and the revised marks of such candidates vary from -20 to 720 marks. It further informed that out 67 candidates who received 720/720 marks, 44 were on account of the revision in one Answer Key of Physics, and 06 were on account of compensatory marks for loss of time.
Several people including doctors were also questioning why NTA declared the NEET-UG (National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test Undergraduate) results on the date of Lok Sabha Election results i.e. on June 04, 2024, and not on June 14, as was planned earlier. NTA has also addressed this issue and the allegations of unfair means in the NEET UG 2024 examination.
Addressing the allegations of unfair means being used in the exam, NTA informed, "Action taken in UFM cases are in accordance with existing rules, including the cancellation of candidature and debarment from future examinations of NTA. NTA has registered cases against impersonators and some cases have been registered by the State Police. NTA has been extending support, wherever required, to the agencies in investigating cases pertaining to NEET (UG) 2024."
"While the outcome of the investigation in aforesaid cases is awaited, NTA has categorically denied any case of paper leak. NTA also issued a detailed Press Release on 06 May 2024 stating that there has not been any paper leak as was being circulated on social media. The same stand has been reiterated and NTA maintains that the integrity of the examination was not compromised," it added.
Protest by NEET Aspirants:
Amid this confusion, NEET aspirants were seen rallying and raising slogans against NTA in Kakadev, Kanpur. They demanded re-conduct of the examination.
Also Read: Protest Against NEET 2024 Results Intensifies, Students Raise Slogans Against NTA
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