SC Refuses to Defer NEET 2024 Counselling process scheduled from July 6

New Delhi: The counselling for the National Eligibility-and-Entrance Test Undergraduate (NEET-UG) 2024 examination is going to commence on its scheduled date i.e. on July 6, 2024, as the Supreme Court once again refused to postpone the counselling. 

When a plea seeking cancellation of the NEET-UG 2024 examination came up for hearing before the Supreme Court today i.e. on 21st June 2024, the Apex Court vacation bench of Justices Vikram Nath and SVN Bhatti once again reiterated that it would not defer the counselling/seat allotment process for NEET UG 2024.

Seeking the National Testing Agency's (NTA) response to some of the fresh pleas, the Court tagged those cases with the pleas pending on similar issues. These pleas have been listed for further hearing on July 8, 2024.

During the hearing, the counsel for one of the petitioners urged the Court to postpone the counselling scheduled to commence from July 6, considering the fact that the Apex Court has decided to hear the pleas filed in this regard on July 8.

Also Read: NEET 2024 Results Row: Supreme Court pulls up NTA, says 'Even 0.001 percent negligence Should be Thoroughly Dealt With'

Responding to this, Justice Bhatti was quoted noting by Live Law, "Counselling is not open and shut. It is a process. That process commences on 6th...What is the duration of the first schedule? Is it four days or five days? A week...Afterwards, within that week, applicants have any number of options to amend/modify etc...after they [...] then only it gets in the domain of the convenor. We do not want even this time to be utilized by the candidate...they will come to know what are the colleges open...it's not that everything is accepted...we are allowing time not to be lost, either by this side or that side."

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that previously as well the Apex Court had refused to stay the counselling process. However, yesterday, the Court clarified that the admissions would be subject to the final outcome of the pleas and in case the exams were set aside, the counselling process would get invalidated consequently.

This year's National Eligibility-and-Entrance Test Undergraduate (NEET-UG) 2024 Examination was mired in controversies after the allegations of paper leak came into light. Around 13 people, including four examinees and their family members, were arrested in Bihar for their alleged involvement in the paper leak of the 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.

The pleas that came up for hearing today included a plea seeking CBI investigation into the alleged instances of paper leak and the malpractices in the conduct of the NEET-UG 2024 exam. Raising allegations of exam centre manipulations in the MBBS entrance test, the plea stated that the Gujarat police had registered a case after a teacher offered to solve the NEET exam after accepting Rs 10 lakhs. Similarly, the plea also submitted that an FIR was lodged in Patna, Bihar, accompanied by a statement made before the Magistrate Court in Patna, indicating the existence of substantial evidence corroborating the NEET paper leak issue.

Apart from these issues, the petitioners also raised the issue of grace marks granted by the National Testing Agency (NTA). However, while considering another set of pleas, the Centre had informed the Apex Court that the grace marks would be revoked and the 1563 candidates would be given an option of appearing in the re-test.

Today, during the hearing, the petitioners' counsel submitted that out of these 1563 candidates, who have been given the chance to appear in the retest, 773 failed despite being given the benefit of grace marks. Referring to this, the counsel argued that even those candidates who failed were getting a second chance along with those who qualified in the exam. Further, it was alleged that NTA had withheld material information and there was no grievance redressal committee in place.

Taking note of these submissions, the top Court bench asked NTA to file a response to the application. However, the counsel for the petitioners insisted that the retest was being conducted and the students were under immense stress. Taking note of this, Justice Nath observed that contradictory submissions were being made.

"...when there is a chance of setting aside of the main exam...where is the question of 1563 candidates? Are you worried about them (who will have to re-appear) or you are worried about the other candidates who are not being allowed to give the exam? Your argument is some candidates who have failed are being allowed a second chance...and now you are arguing that those candidates who are going to give this examination are under stress...what is this? Contradictory arguments you are making," observed the Supreme Court bench.

The second plea that came up for hearing today demanded cancellation of the NEET UG 2024 exam and counselling. It was filed by 10 NEET candidates praying that the exam be conducted and monitored by the Court.

They claimed that in the interest of the future of 24 lakh students who appeared in the NEET UG 2024 exam, the test held on 5th May, 2024 deserved to be cancelled, as serious allegations of paper-leak, wrongful award of grace marks, possible corruption and bribery have surfaced and the issues were sub judice before the Court.

Citing the recent cancellation of the UGC-NET 2024 exam, which was also conducted by NTA, and the handing over of the case to CBI, the petitioners submitted that it indicated that the current system of NTA was not full-proof and was prone to be compromised.

The counsel for the petitioners submitted that they were merely praying for pausing the NEET counselling for 2 days (and not stay), as the pleas concerning NEET UG 2024 would come up for hearing on July 8. However, the bench refused to postpone the counseling observing that it was an ongoing process. 

Apart from these two pleas, another petition raising similar issues in respect to NEET-UG exam also came up for hearing today. All these matters have been listed for further hearing on July 8, 2024 and the Court has asked NTA to submit its response.

Also Read: NEET 2024 Controversy: SC Seeks Response from Centre, NTA on Plea Seeking Cancellation of Exam