“Sanctity has been affected, we need answers”: Supreme Court issues a notice to NTA over NEET Paper Leak Allegations

The Supreme Court on Tuesday issued a notice to the Centre and the National Testing Agency, responding to a petition calling for the cancellation of this year's National Entrance-cum-Eligibility Test (NEET) for Under-Graduate Medical courses, citing an alleged paper leak. The court's vacation bench, comprising Justices Vikram Nath and Ahsanuddin Amanullah, sought answers as it took up the plea filed by 10 NEET candidates.

During the proceedings, the bench highlighted the need for accountability, stating, "It is not that simple that because you have done it, it is sacrosanct. Sanctity has been affected, so we need answers." The bench urged the NTA for a prompt response, considering the implications for upcoming counselling sessions. Responding to the NTA's request to link the petition with an earlier one, the bench scheduled both matters for a joint hearing on July 8.

Advocate Mathews J Nedumpara, representing the petitioners, sought a stay on counselling proceedings, but the bench declined, stating, "Let the counselling start, we are not stopping the counselling." Despite the refusal for a stay, the bench issued a notice and instructed the NTA to file a response promptly. The petition, initiated by Shivangi Mishra and nine others, was filed prior to the declaration of results, challenging the integrity of the NEET exam.

After the results were announced, additional petitions were filed questioning the NTA's decision to award grace marks to certain candidates. However, these post-results petitions were not addressed during the current hearing. Notably, during a previous hearing on May 17, the court issued a notice regarding a similar plea but did not delay the declaration of results. Meanwhile, the NTA has announced the formation of a high-powered committee to address grievances from 1,600 students who participated in the NEET 2024 exam.