Supreme Court Mulls NEET-UG 2024 Re-Test Amid Paper Leak Controversy

The Supreme Court examined the possibility of a re-test for NEET-UG 2024 after confirming the exam's paper leak. The court demanded detailed information from the NTA and CBI on the leak's extent and wrongdoers. Over 23 lakh candidates had taken the exam at 4,750 centres globally, and potential malpractices are under investigation.

In light of a confirmed paper leak of NEET-UG 2024, the Supreme Court on Monday suggested the possibility of a re-test, specifically if the entire process has been compromised. The court has requested detailed reports from the National Testing Agency (NTA) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) regarding the timing, scale, and implicated wrongdoers in the leak.

Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud, alongside Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, emphasized the necessity of transparency, noting that self-denial would only exacerbate the issue. The bench highlighted that the extent of the breach must be ascertained, and if systemic, a re-test may be imperative.

The court also underscored the need to identify the methodologies involved in the leak, which may have been propagated via social media. The investigation will involve scrutinizing all implicated centres and assessing the feasibility of retesting only the affected candidates. The hearings are scheduled to continue on July 11.

(With inputs from agencies.)