In a significant development, the Supreme Court is currently hearing multiple petitions related to the NEET-UG 2024 paper leak case. This case has garnered considerable attention due to the implications for the integrity of one of India’s most important medical entrance exams. The court's decisions could impact thousands of students across the country. Here, we provide live updates on the proceedings as they unfold.
► SC Requests Bihar Police and EoW Report
"We would like to see the Bihar police and EoW report," said Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud. The matter is scheduled for the next hearing on July 22.
► Hearing Adjourned to Monday
The CJI-led bench will resume hearing the NEET-UG paper leak petitions on Monday at 10:30 am. Chief Justice Chandrachud mentioned they will "hopefully conclude this before lunch."
♦ 'Publish all student results,' SC instructs NTA.
The Supreme Court orders NTA to release the grades of every NEET UG 2024 student till Saturday noon ,but only after concealing roll numbers with "dummy roll numbers in a sequence centre-wise."
♦ CJI Questions Connection Between Hazaribagh and Patna
Chief Justice Chandrachud questioned,
"How is Patna linked to Hazaribagh? I am not sure if the full question paper can be solved in 45 minutes... 180 questions in 45 minutes," adding that there was a breach in both Hazaribagh and Patna, with around 80 students qualifying from these areas.
♦ Godhra Seems a Localised Issue, Says CJI
Addressing the issue in Godhra, the CJI remarked,
"Godhra seems a localized issue. Nothing went through in the sense before it happened they were caught." Senior Advocate Hooda responded, "Paper footprint does not confine to Patna, it traveled."
The CJI countered, "In Godhra, students had no opportunity. There is no wrongdoing. The process was that the centre-in-charge would fill in the blanks and not that students have to memorize. But it was prevented ultimately."
♦ Discussion on Godhra Paper Leak
The CJI inquired about the alleged paper leak in Godhra. NTA counsel stated that 2513 students appeared in Godhra’s two centers, and only 18 came within the 1.08 lakh cut-off.
The CJI observed, "Godhra is not an example of a widespread paper leak. The only leaks are now in Hazaribagh and Patna. Out of 61 who got perfect scores, only 17 benefitted. Should we cancel the entire exam on the basis of these inputs?"
Solicitor General Mehta noted that the CBI recovered 70 postdated cheques.
♦ "No Tampering" - Solicitor General
The Solicitor General stated,
"CBI has investigated and concluded that there is no tampering en route." He added, "In regard to the paper leak, there is some footage of someone going inside a centre."
♦ Timing of the Leak - Chief Justice of India : Chief Justice DY Chandrachud commented on the timing of the leak.
"According to them, students were made to memorize on May 5 morning. That means before 5th May somebody has solved the question papers. If somebody has solved the papers, it has happened prior to May 5. So the leak happened prior to May 4th night. The question is when the leak happened."
♦ CJI on Hypothesis of Solved Paper : Chief Justice DY Chandrachud expressed scepticism:
"The whole hypothesis that the entire paper was solved in 45 minutes and given to students is too far-fetched." The Solicitor General interjected, "One hour." To which the CJI replied, "Okay, even one hour, seems far-fetched."
♦ Question Paper Matches - Hooda
Senior Advocate Hooda stated,
"The real picture of the question paper on Telegram has been compared to the actual one and it has matched."
♦ Handling of Question Papers - Solicitor General and Hooda
Advocate Hooda alleged,
"The NTA transported question papers in an e-rickshaw from the printing press to the Hazaribagh exam centre." However, the Solicitor General clarified, "Those were OMR sheets, not question papers."
♦ Student Memorization - Solicitor General
The Solicitor General noted,
"Students got only two hours to memorize the questions. That is why out of 18 students, only one student is possibly getting admission, but he will face debarment."
♦ Telegram Video Doctored, Says NTA
The Solicitor General supporting NTA's argument that the video was doctored said that the Telegram channel has an inbuilt feature that if there is a change, it will be reflected. Hence, it was found that this video was circulated after the exam.
'Telegram videos indicate that on 4th May, the question papers were circulating. It was the original question papers. The time is 9 AM. The NTA wants this Court to disbelieve. The date and time they show is not a date and time which can appear in a Telegram channel. It is a watermark. It is not a date and time. Date and time appears like the one which is appearing in page (in the petitioners' submission),' Hooda said
♦ Question Paper Leak Video on Telegram 'Doctored', says NTA Counsel
CJI: When was it put on telegram channel? Kaushik: It was a doctored video.. the real time is May 5, 17:40.. SG: if any change is done then on telegram you can see that change also and that is how we found it
♦ Paper Leak Happened Due to Money, Observed CJI
The idea of somebody doing this (paper leak) is not to make a national charade of the NEET exam. People were doing it for money. Therefore anybody who is making money out of it won't circulate it mass scale, the CJI said.
♦ Question Paper Handed to Principal, Not Bank.
In the Hazaribagh case, the question papers remained in the hands of a private courier company for six days. It was then transported in an e-rickshaw and was handed to the school principal instead of being taken to the bank, Hooda pointed.
♦ Failure Multi-Dimensional, Hooda on Hazaribagh Case SC examines the Hazaribagh case.
Hooda says for the Hazaribagh centre the question papers were dispatched on April 28. A trunk containing question papers was found travelling on an e-rickshaw on May 3 in Hazaribagh and it was received by the principal of the school. The CBI has arrested the principal.
"There is a systemic failure in conducting the exam by NTA. Failure is multi-dimensional," he said.
♦ Hearing resumes
♦ Clarification on Exam Centre Changes
The Supreme Court has asked the NTA for details about students who changed their exam centres and are in the top 1,08,000. The Chief Justice of India asked,
“How many candidates among the top 1.08 lakh had utilised the correction window to change their examination cities?”
The NTA stated that 15,000 candidates used the correction window.
♦ Hearing to Resume After Lunch
The hearing will resume at 2 PM after a lunch break.
♦ Retest Toppers Identified
Out of 1,563 students who took the retest, 44 are among the toppers. The Solicitor General mentioned,
“The first 100 candidates are distributed across 95 centres in 56 cities and 18 states and UTs. This distribution highlights diversity in results.”
♦ Toppers Spread Across States
Toppers are distributed across 12 states and one union territory, indicating a wide geographical spread. The NTA provided a city-wise breakdown, stating that the top 100 ranks are spread across 91 places, with four from one exam centre in Lucknow. However, Senior Advocate Hooda pointed out that the information does not capture nine candidates in Jaipur in the top 100.
♦ Grace Marks Issue
The issue of grace marks given to students at certain centers has not been fully examined by the court.
♦ Bahadurgarh School Paper Distribution
At Hardayal School in Bahadurgarh, papers were distributed from Canara Bank instead of SBI, which was the case for the rest of the country. Grace marks were given to all students at this school.
♦ IIT Madras Software Limitations
The Python software used by IIT Madras couldn't detect the exact number of malpractices due to the large dataset. Senior Advocate Hooda argued,
“The IIT Madras data focuses on 23 lakh students when the data should have been analysed for 1 lakh students who obtained the seats.”
♦ Top 100 Ranks Detailed
NTA's affidavit includes details of the top 100 ranks in the NEET-UG exam.
♦ Concerns Over Data Analysis
The data analysis by IIT Madras, which shows a normal distribution, does not account for granular variations and might miss abnormalities. Advocate Hooda added,
“The analysis based on 23 lakh students is not reliable and should be focused on 1,08,000 candidates.”
♦ Limited Data Provided
Only data for 17 students has been provided, raising questions about transparency.
♦ Incomplete Picture on Marks Inflation
The NTA has not given a full explanation for the increased number of toppers this year.
♦ CJI Seeks Info on Students in Court
The Chief Justice has asked how many students have approached the court.
♦ IIT Madras' Role Clarified
The Solicitor General clarified that the IIT Madras Director who prepared the report is not a member of the NTA. He said,
“The Chairman of the IIT, who organises the JEE Advanced examination during a particular year, is an ex-officio member of the NTA. However, the Director who prepared the data analysis report is not a member of the agency.”
♦ Separating Tainted from Untainted Students
The challenge of separating tainted students from untainted ones was discussed. The Supreme Court suggested using data analytics to identify suspect cases and segregate the tainted from the untainted.
♦ Re-Exam Conditions
Re-exam can only be ordered if the integrity of the entire exam is compromised.
♦ IIT Madras Report Questioned
Hooda stated that the analysis based on 23 lakh students is not reliable and should be focused on 1,08,000 candidates.
♦ Students Seeking Retest
A total of 131 students are seeking a retest, while 254 are against it.
♦ Minimum Marks Inquiry
The Chief Justice sought information on the minimum marks received by the petitioners.
♦ Re-Examination Criteria
Re-examination can only be considered if it is proven that the entire exam was affected.
♦ Medical Seats Count
The court sought details on the number of medical seats available. There are 56,000 seats in government medical colleges and 52,000 in private colleges.
♦ OMR Sheets Replaced
Counsels claimed that OMR sheets were replaced. The CJI asked them to file a Special Leave Petition (SLP).
♦ Hearing Prioritised
The Supreme Court will prioritise the NEET matter due to its social impact.
♦ Urgency in NEET Matter
The Chief Justice emphasised the urgency in resolving NEET-related issues.
♦ Unfair Means Cases
NTA reported 153 cases of unfair means, with actions taken against 135 candidates. FIRs have been registered, and 16 cases have been filed regarding malpractices.
♦ Exam Cancellation: Last Resort
The Chief Justice stated that cancelling the exam for 24 lakh students should be a last resort.
♦ Understanding NEET Pattern
The court expressed a desire to understand the NEET UG exam pattern, including FIR details and actions taken against wrongdoers.
♦ Court Proceedings Timing
Court proceedings will start at 11:15 AM, following the swearing-in ceremony of two new judges.
♦ No Systemic Fraud
The NTA informed the Supreme Court that there was no systemic fraud in the exam. The hearing will continue tomorrow, and the court aims to resolve the matter by then.
Additional Information:
• CBI's Role in the Investigation
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has been actively probing the alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG 2024 exam. Recently, the CBI detained four students from AIIMS Patna who were suspected of being involved in the paper leak. These students are currently under interrogation, and their digital devices are being examined for further evidence.
• Accused Sent to CBI Custody
A key accused in the NEET-UG paper leak case, identified as Pankaj Kumar alias Aditya, has been sent to 14 days of CBI custody by a special court in Patna. During this period, the CBI will question him about his role in the leak, his connections with other gang members, and the financial transactions related to the theft of the exam paper.
• Legal Complexity of the Case
The NEET-UG 2024 case is legally complex, involving multiple petitions and diverse stakeholders. The Supreme Court is considering transferring cases from various high courts to avoid inconsistent rulings and streamline the judicial process. This consolidation aims to ensure a uniform and fair resolution to the issues raised.
• Impact on Students
The ongoing legal battle and the potential for a re-exam have left many students in a state of uncertainty. With their future hanging in the balance, students are eagerly awaiting the court’s decision. The Supreme Court's ruling will significantly impact their academic and career prospects.
• NTA’s Measures to Ensure Fairness
In response to the allegations, the NTA has taken several steps to ensure the fairness and integrity of the NEET-UG exam. These measures include the cancellation of grace marks, the investigation of malpractices, and the implementation of stricter protocols for future exams.
• Final Arguments and Court’s Decision
As the hearing progresses, both sides are presenting their final arguments. The Supreme Court is expected to deliver a verdict soon, which will address the various petitions and outline the next steps. The decision will set a precedent for handling similar cases in the future and will be crucial in restoring faith in the examination system.
Conclusion:
The NEET-UG 2024 Supreme Court hearing is a pivotal moment for students, educational institutions, and the judicial system. As the court delves into the complexities of the case, the outcome will have far-reaching implications for the integrity of competitive exams in India. Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to follow this critical story.
Inputs by Agencies
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