NEET 2024 Results: 1563 candidates compensated for exam time loss, 44 Got AIR 1 Due to Revision of Physics Question- Here is full NTA clarification
New Delhi: Since its last clarification could not clear the doubts of the NEET aspirants, the National Testing Agency (NTA) has now issued a second clarification addressing queries for the candidates on the high cut-off, multiple toppers, the issue of grace marks, and other issues.
The agency, in charge of conducting the NEET UG exam, has 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.
Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that NEET UG 2024 results shocked many as 67 candidates got 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.
Amid the social media uproar, previously, NTA had addressed the issue and issued a clarification in this regard. Addressing the issue of candidates scoring 718 or 719 marks in the exam, the agency had earlier 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.
Now, facing pressure from the medical fraternity and people in general, NTA has issued another clarification addressing these issues of cut-off of NEET UG 2024, grace marks awarded for loss of time, NEET UG 2024 toppers, date of declaration of results, and the allegations of unfair means being used in the exam.
In its recent clarifications, NTA informed that NEET (UG) 2024 was conducted by NTA on 05 May 2024 from 02:00 to 05:20 P.M. (IST) at 4750 Centres in 571 cities (including 14 cities abroad) for more than 24 lakhs candidates.
Addressing the queries raised by the candidates, NTA has issued the following clarifications:
Cut-off of NEET (UG) 2024:
The cutoff scores are determined based on the overall performance of candidates each year. The increase in cutoff reflects the competitive nature of the examination and the higher performance standards achieved by the candidates this year.
NTA also mentioned that the cut-offs and average marks of the qualified candidates (out of 720) vary every year. It pointed out that in the years 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024, the average marks out of 720 of qualified candidates were 297.18, 286.13, 259.00, 279.41, and 323.55 respectively. Similarly, there was also a difference regarding the minimum cut-off score in the UR categories. The cut-off in 2020 was 147, it was 138 in the year 2021, 117 in the year 2022, 137 in 2023, and 164 in 2024.
Also Read: NEET 2024 Results: AIR 1 to 67 Toppers! What's the Tie-breaking Criteria?
Compensatory marks for loss of time:
Addressing the issue of grace marks awarded by NTA to compensate for loss of time, the agency informed that few Writ Petitions were filed by the candidates of NEET (UG) 2024 before the Hon’ble High Court of Punjab & Haryana, Delhi, and Chhattisgarh, raising concerns of loss of exam time during the conduct of NEET (UG) 2024 on 05.05.2024, at few Exam Centres.
It mentioned that concerns raised by the candidates, through the Writ Petitions and representations submitted to NTA required careful consideration for redressal. Therefore, a Grievance Redressal Committee consisting of eminent experts from the field of examination and academia, was constituted to look into such grievances/representations and to submit its recommendations.
"The Committee considered the grievances/representations on the basis of factual reports of the functionaries and CCTV footages from concerned exam Centres. The loss of examination time was ascertained and such candidates were compensated with marks based on their answering efficiency and time lost, as per the mechanism/ formula established by the Hon’ble Apex Court, vide its judgment dated 13.06.2018 in W.P. 551 of 2018. 1563 candidates were compensated for the loss of time and the revised marks of such candidates vary from -20 to 720 marks. Amongst these, the score of two candidates also happens to be 718 and 719 marks respectively due to compensatory marks," NTA mentioned in the clarification.
"On the analysis of the CCTV footage, it was ascertained that the integrity of the examination was not compromised at these Centres," the agency further added.
Toppers in NEET (UG) 2024:
Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that this year concerns were raised regarding the fact that altogether 67 students secured the All India Rank 1 in the NEET UG 2024 exam. There were doubts regarding the high cut-off as well.
Addressing the issues, NTA informed that the number of candidates who appeared in 2023 was 20,38,596, while the number of candidates who appeared in 2024 increased to 23,33,297. The increase in candidates naturally led to an increase in high scorers due to a larger pool of candidates. NTA received 13,373 challenges to the provisional answer key of one question in Physics. Due to the differences in the old and new editions of the NCERT textbook, the Subject Expert(s) held that two options be taken as correct in place of one option for this Question.
"Out of the 67 candidates who got 720/720 marks, 44 are on account of the revision in one Answer Key of Physics and 06 are on account of compensatory marks for loss of time. It is pertinent to mention that the toppers are from across the country, as highlighted in the Press Release dated 04.06.2024," NTA clarified.
Declaration of Results on 04.06.2024 and Transparency in the examination process:
Addressing the queries why the NEET results were announced on 4th June 2024 instead of 14th June 2024, NTA informed, "As per practice, the result of NTA Examinations including NEET (UG) is declared at the earliest on the completion of the necessary checks in the result processing post the Answer Key challenge period. NTA managed to declare the Results of about 23 lakh candidates within 30 days. The Result of JEE (Main) 2024 Session-1 was declared in 11 days and of Session-2 (combined with Session - 1) was declared in 15 days. The Result of NEET (UG) 2024 has been processed as per the established procedure."
It further informed that NTA has a set procedure of transparency adopted across all its examinations. Necessary information is shared with the candidates through Advance City Intimation, Admit Card, Advisories for examination, display of scanned copies of OMRs and recorded responses to the candidates, inviting objections to Provisional Answer Keys, publishing Final Answer Keys on the Official website and sending scanned OMR Answer Sheets and Score Card through emails.
Further, relevant statistics are shared with the candidates and public through regular briefings/press releases. The same has been adopted for NEET (UG) 2024, NTA informed.
Regarding Unfair Means cases:
Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that this year's NEET UG 2024 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 the issues, PILs were filed before the Supreme Court and the Patna High Court, seeking fresh exam and a CBI probe into the issue.
However, 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.
