The Supreme Court on Friday sought the replies of the Centre and the National Testing Agency (NTA) on a batch of petitions seeking CBI investigation into the alleged instances of paper leak in the conduct of the NEET-UG 2024 exam held on May 5.

Issuing notice on a batch of petitions and seeking response within two weeks, a bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta tagged the present petitions with earlier petitions raising similar issues, which are listed for hearing on July 8.

Advertisement

The bench also issued notice on a transfer petition by the NTA seeking transfer to the top court, a petition before a High Court also alleging paper leak and irregularities in the conduct of NEET-UG 2024. The NTA’s plea seeking transfer of a matter before a High Court to the top court, too was tagged with the matters listed for July 8.

Yesterday – June 13, the National Testing Agency had informed the Supreme Court that the score-cards of 1563 NEET-UG 2024 candidates who were given “grace marks” for loss of time will be cancelled, with an option to take re-test.

Giving the option of taking re-test to 1563 students, the NTA had said that those who choose to take re-test, their present score card would be cancelled and new score, after the re-exam, will be counted for admission to medical colleges.

The NTA had also said that those who choose not to take the retest, their original scores would remain but will not include the grace marks awarded to them earlier on account of the loss of time.

The court was also informed that the National Testing Agency would hold the re-test for these 1563 students on June 23 and after the announcement of the results on June 30, the counselling for admission to medical colleges would begin from July 6 onwards.

The top court has made it clear that the counselling for the admissions of candidates to medical colleges that is to commence on July 6, will not be put on hold.

NEET-UG examination, conducted by NTA, is a precursor to admissions into MBBS, BDS and AYUSH and other related medical courses in government and private institutions across the country.

A number of aggrieved candidates have approached the top court seeking investigation into the allegations of paper leak and other irregularities in the conduct of NEET-UG 2024.