NEET-UG paper leak matter: At least 750 of the 1,563 candidates who were awarded grace marks in NEET-UG skipped the re-exam on Sunday, a senior National Testing Agency (NTA) official said. Meanwhile, 813 candidates appeared for the re-exam, which took place across centres in Chandigarh, Chattisgarh, Gujarat, Haryana, and Meghalaya.
The retest was conducted at seven centers as mandated by the Supreme Court. Grace marks were awarded to compensate for the lost time at six centers where the exam began late on May 5.
"At least 52 per cent -- 813 out of 1,563 candidates -- appeared for the retest on Sunday," a senior official said.
17 students debarred from taking test in Bihar
The NTA on Sunday debarred 17 candidates who had appeared for the exam on May 5 at centres in Bihar. The agency had earlier debarred 63 candidates for adopting unfair means in the exam. On Saturday, 30 additional candidates from Gujarat's Godhara were also debarred.
The re-test for the medical entrance exam was conducted after the NTA withdrew grace marks awarded to students.
CBI registers FIR to probe irregularities
A day after the Centre ordered the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG exam, the central agency registered an FIR on the matter.
CBI registered a regular case in the NEET exam paper leak case after the complaint of the Ministry of Education. CBI started the investigation by registering an FIR under IPC section 420 (fraud) and 120B (conspiracy). According to sources, the CBI has registered a separate case. The cases of Bihar and Gujarat have not been taken over. The police of both states are currently investigating and making arrests at their own level. When CBI is required to investigate further, Bihar and Gujarat police will be contacted, sources said.
The Ministry of Education has requested the CBI to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the entire conspiracy of alleged irregularities including conspiracy, cheating, forgery, breach of trust and destruction of evidence by the candidates, institutions and middlemen.
The Ministry has asked for an investigation into the role of public servants associated with the conduct of the examination and has also requested the CBI to investigate the entire gamut of events and the larger conspiracy.
CBI has registered a criminal case and taken up an investigation. Special teams have been formed by CBI to investigate the case, Special CBI teams are being sent to Patna and Godhra where cases have been registered by the local police
What is NEET-UG controversy?
The NEET-UG 2024 exam was conducted on May 5 and its results were declared on June 4, ahead of its scheduled announcement date of June 14. Protests were held alleging irregularities and paper leaks as the results showed that as many as 67 students had topped the exam with a perfect score of 720. Petitions have been filed in courts by students seeking a re-test. The Supreme Court has allowed are-test of over 1,500 students who were awarded "grace marks.
On June 13, the NTA informed the Supreme Court that the scorecards of 1563 candidates who were awarded "grace marks" in the NEET-UG 2024 exam would be cancelled and these candidates would have an option to reappear for the exam on June 23, the results of which will be declared before June 30, or forgo the compensatory marks given for the loss of time.
(With PTI inputs)
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