NEET Verdict: 'No Retest,' Supreme Court Sets Out Directives To Improve Exam Process

New Delhi: The Supreme Court of India has delivered a detailed judgment today, denying the pleas for a retest of the NEET-UG 2024 examination. The verdict was delivered by a bench comprising Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, Justice JB Pardiwala, and Justice Manoj Misra.

Chief Justice Chandrachud emphasized that conducting a fresh examination would have severe consequences, affecting over 24 lakh students and disrupting the admission schedule. The court underscored that the integrity of the entire exam was not compromised and that the paper leak incidents were localized, impacting only Hazaribagh and Patna.

SC Sets Out Specific Directives To Improve Exam Process

The Supreme Court set out specific directives to improve the examination process and prevent future irregularities. These include:

• Exam Security and Standard Operating Procedures: Establish robust mechanisms to ensure exam security, including CCTV monitoring at exam centers and the development of secure logistics for paper transport.
• Exam Centre Allocation: Review and improve the process of allocating exam centers to enhance security and fairness
•  Candidate Identification: Implement stringent measures to verify the identity of candidates appearing for the exam.
• Paper Leak Prevention: Develop and enforce SOPs for paper storage and handling to prevent leaks.
• Complaint Resolution: Create a structured system for addressing and resolving complaints related to the examination process.

Chief Justice Chandrachud also suggested considering the use of real-time electronic lock systems for transporting exam papers, replacing open e-rickshaw methods to enhance security.

Finalize Report By September 30: SC Tells Committee

The court has given the committee, chaired by former ISRO Chairman K. Radhakrishnan, until September 30, 2024, to finalize its report. This committee was formed following a directive from the central government to address and prevent future irregularities in competitive exams like NEET.

In its ruling, the Supreme Court concluded that the paper leaks were not systemic failures and did not impact the overall integrity of the NEET-UG 2024 examination. However, the court stressed the need for stringent measures to prevent such incidents in the future, ensuring the sanctity of the examination process.

The court also indicated that complaints resolved by this decision could be taken to the High Court for further redressal. The National Testing Agency (NTA) was criticised for lapses and was urged to avoid such negligence in future exams.