In a significant development surrounding the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) for undergraduate medical courses, Alakh Pandey, the CEO and cofounder of edtech startup PhysicsWallah, has taken the matter to the Supreme Court (SC), seeking a thorough investigation into alleged irregularities in NEET-UG 2024.
Allegations and Call for Investigation
According to reports by Economic Times, Pandey’s public interest litigation (PIL) urges the SC to appoint an independent panel to investigate discrepancies in NEET-UG 2024. At the core of the issue are concerns regarding the awarding of grace marks to over 1,500 students by the National Testing Agency (NTA) and allegations of a potential paper leak.
Quoting a statement from PhysicsWallah, the report highlights Pandey’s assertion that only a comprehensive investigation can shed light on the “irregularities undermining the credibility” of the medical entrance test. Additionally, Pandey reportedly advocates for a re-examination of this year’s NEET in pursuit of justice for affected students.
In a statement shared on X platform, Pandey expressed his confidence in the judicial system, stating, “… I believe in the court and our judiciary system. Our students will get justice.”
Legal Proceedings and Response from NTA
In a separate legal maneuver, Pandey, along with lawyer J Sai Deepak, filed a petition before the Supreme Court, drawing attention to alleged malpractices during NEET 2024, including purported paper leaks. While the SC issued a notice to the NTA in response to this plea, it declined to halt the post-exam counseling process.
PhysicsWallah underscored the urgency of suspending counseling proceedings to prevent further prejudice against affected candidates and to uphold the integrity of the admission process during the resolution of the matter.
NTA’s Denial and Examination Results
In the face of mounting allegations, the NTA has vehemently denied any irregularities in conducting NEET-UG 2024. Despite concerns primarily revolving around the allocation of grace marks and reports of multiple candidates securing the first rank, the NTA maintains that the exam was conducted without any discrepancies.
Addressing the controversy, the NTA clarified that certain adjustments, including the revision of an answer key and the allocation of compensatory marks for time loss, accounted for the exceptional results observed in NEET-UG 2024.
