IIT MADRAS ruled out ‘mass malpractice’ in NEET-UG exam, centre tells Supreme Court

IIT MADRAS ruled out ‘mass malpractice’ in NEET-UG exam, Centre tells Supreme Court

Kristi Flora Karki

The issue of malpractices in conduct of NEET UG 2024 has been nagging in for quite some time now, with fate of 24 lakhs NEET aspirants hanging in limbo.

The central government, after pressure from the opposition parties and agitations by the students and parents, has started investigation through CBI into the allegations of mass malpractices in conduct of NEET UG 2024 by NTA (NATIONAL TESTING AGENCY).

In this connection, some people alleged to be involved in the paper leakage have been arrested by CBI.

Meanwhile, in an affidavit dated July 8 submitted in the Supreme Court by NTA totally refuted the allegations of “mass malpractices” on the part of the NTA stating that IIT MADRAS was tasked to suggest modalities so as to segregate students suspected of using unfair means from other students.

In the affidavits submitted by NTA, it was clarified that the total number of actual students whose final scores reflected perfect 720 marks was 61 only. The NTA denied allegations of petitioners that 67 candidates scored perfect marks as deceitful and incorrect.

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It said, 6 of the 67 scored 720 marks in view of grace marks awarded due to loss of time at Jhajjar centre. Out of the remaining 61 candidates, only 17 candidates obtained 720/720 marks based on provisional answer keys and 44 on account of revision in one answer key of physics. Thus, the actual candidates without revision of the answer key were only 17 candidates, which is not significantly higher than previous years.

NTA has also termed the video circulated in social media platform as a fake one stating that timestamp of the video clip was edited and fabricated to give a false impression of an early leak.

On the logistics and security features of conducting the 2024 exam, the NTA said the movement of the question papers was tracked on a real-time basis. Transportation of the papers was done under CCTV coverage and the footage was preserved. Any breach in security would be recorded and reported to the NTA. Not only the place where the breach took place, but the place, time and stage at which it occurred would be reported.

On the preparation of questions, the NTA said that the experts were invited to a restricted area in the NTA office. Workshops were held and a total of 140 subject experts participated in the exercise between August and December 2023.

The work of the experts was sealed at the end of each day and returned to them the next day.

Ten subject expert moderators combined the questions into question papers between February 16 and 28. A minimum of two fully independent question papers were made. Subject experts were different for each subject question paper. Question papers were solved by another nine subject experts who gave their feedback. This exercise was held between March 1 and 7.

The question papers were printed in confidential press and logs maintained. Translations of the questions were done into 12 languages by a team of 101 translators between March 8 and 31. OMR sheets were printed elsewhere. Each OMR sheet had a unique number with a barcode.

The corresponding question papers were printed with the same serial number. Trucks carrying the papers had digital lockers with GPS trackers. These trunks were opened 45 minutes before the exam before two invigilators and two candidates as witnesses. Candidates had opened the seal of the question papers at 1.55 p.m. on May 5.

NTA further stated that no question papers were found missing at Patna and Hazaribagh and no seals were broken.

The centre stated the counselling will be done in four rounds starting from the third week of July. If any candidate is found that he/she is involved in any kind of malpractice, the candidature of such person would be eliminated at any stage during the counselling process.

Meanwhile, a division bench of SC led by CJI (D.Y. CHANDRACHUD) on July 11, deferred the hearing on the petition concerning the alleged paper leakage in the NEET UG exam to July 18, 2024. The bench noted that some of the parties haven’t received the affidavits filled by the centre and NTA, also that they need to apply their minds to the responses before arguments.

In view of the above facts submitted by the central government, the demand of agitating students of re-examination of the NEET -UG exam is unlikely.

11-07-2024

Kristi Flora Karki is a student of Communication & Journalism, Gauhati University

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