The National Testing Agency (NTA) has constituted a 4-member committee under the chairmanship of a former UPSC chairman, to look into the issue of grace marks given to some 1600 candidates, which has snowballed into a widespread protest by students and others following first-of-its-kind compensatory ‘grace marks’ concession ever provided in the NEET.
With unusually high number of first rankers at 67 and that too eight from a single centre, aspirants and candidates are casting aspersions on the conduct of the exam and some protesting voices are readying to move the Supreme Court against the NTA and pressing for retesting. However, NTA and the Ministry of Education has clarified that NEET UG that was conducted on May 5 this year, is uncompromised and grace marks allocated to 1563 candidates from six centres were owing to loss of time. The examination body has clarified that the review process only entails these cases and the rest of the result and admission process remains unaffected.
The students appearing from these centres had gone to High Courts of Punjab & Haryana, Delhi, and Chhattisgarh, and NTA on its own had constituted an expert committee, which after examining all records including CCTV footage recommended grace marks based on a Supreme Court order in case of CLAT examination of a candidate (Writ Petition(s) (Civil) No(s). 551/2018). The grace marks were calculated on the basis of what the candidate had attempted, that is speed and how many questions, could she or he would have attempted in the remaining time if there was no loss of time.
The committee to review these 1600 candidates is expected to examine the issue in a weeks’ time and give its recommendations. “A decision will be taken be taken after the recommendations of the committee, which may include revision of the results for this group,” an official said.
Background:
The NEET (UG) – 2024 was conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) on 05 May 2024 from 02:00 to 05:20 P.M. (IST) at 4750 Centres in 571 cities (including 14 cities abroad) for more than 24 lakhs candidates.
Few Writ Petitions were filed by the candidates of NEET (UG) 2024 before the Hon’ble High Court of Punjab & Haryana, Delhi, and Chhattisgarh, raising concerns of loss of exam time during the conduct of NEET (UG) 2024 on 05.05.2024, at few Exam Centres. The concerns raised by the candidates, through the Writ Petitions and representations submitted to NTA required careful consideration for redressal. Therefore, a Grievance Redressal Committee consisting of eminent experts from the field of examination and academia, was constituted to look into such grievances/representations and to submit its recommendations.
The Committee considered the grievances/representations on the basis of factual reports of the functionaries and CCTV footages from concerned exam Centres. The loss of examination time was ascertained and such candidates were compensated with marks based on their answering efficiency and time lost, as per the mechanism/ formula established by the Hon’ble Apex Court, vide its judgment dated 13.06.2018 in W.P. 551 of 2018. 1563 candidates were compensated for the loss of time and the revised marks of such candidates vary from -20 to 720 marks. Amongst these, the score of two candidates also happens to be 718 and 719 marks respectively due to compensatory marks. On the analysis of the CCTV footage, it was ascertained that the integrity of the examination was not compromised at these Centres.
Toppers in NEET (UG) 2024
The number of candidates who appeared in 2023 was 20,38,596, while the number of candidates who appeared in 2024 increased to 23,33,297. The increase in candidates naturally led to an increase in high scorers due to a larger pool of candidates. NTA received 13,373 challenges to the provisional answer key of one question in Physics. Due to the differences in the old and new editions of the NCERT textbook, the Subject Expert(s) held that two options be taken as correct in place of one option for this Question. Out of the 67 candidates who got 720/720 marks, 44 are on account of the revision in one Answer Key of Physics and 06 are on account of compensatory marks for loss of time.
NTA has categorically denied any case of paper leak. NTA also issued a detailed Press Release on 06 May 2024 stating that there has not been any paper leak as was being circulated on social media. The same stand has been reiterated and NTA maintains that the integrity of the examination was not compromised. NTA has registered cases against impersonators and some cases have been registered by the State Police. NTA has been extending support, wherever required, to the agencies in investigating cases pertaining to NEET (UG) 2024.
