New Delhi, India – July 6, 2024:
In a significant development, the Union government filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court on Friday, opposing the re-conduct of the NEET-UG 2024 examination. The government argued that re-conducting the medical entrance test would disrupt the academic calendar and is unnecessary due to the absence of widespread malpractice evidence.
Government’s Standpoint
The affidavit, submitted through the Ministry of Education, emphasized that there is no proof of a large-scale breach of confidentiality in the NEET-UG 2024 examination. “In the absence of any proof of any large-scale breach of confidentiality in a pan-India examination, it would not be rational to scrap the entire examination and the results already declared,” the affidavit stated.
NTA’s Position
Supporting this viewpoint, the National Testing Agency (NTA), which conducts NEET, also filed an affidavit separately in the Supreme Court. The NTA contended that cancelling the exam would be counterproductive and jeopardize the career prospects of meritorious students. The instances of malpractices were described as “minuscule,” “sporadic,” and “scattered,” committed by identifiable individuals at specific locations where strict actions are being taken.
Assessment of Examination Integrity
The NTA conducted a detailed assessment of the performance of all candidates at the centers in Bihar, Jharkhand, and Gujarat, where complaints of alleged paper leaks and other malpractices emerged. The data analysis indicated that these malpractices did not impact the overall sanctity of the exam or provide undue benefits to the students involved. The performance of students at these centers was consistent with the national average, affirming that the integrity of the examination process remained intact.
Government’s Commitment to Fair Examinations
Both the NTA and the Union government stressed their commitment to conducting competitive examinations in a fair and transparent manner. The Union government emphasized the need to protect the interests of the students who have attempted the examination honestly and fairly. The Ministry of Education highlighted that scrapping the entire exam would unfairly penalize the vast majority of students who played by the rules.
Legal Proceedings
The Supreme Court is set to hear a clutch of petitions on July 22, demanding the cancellation of NEET-UG 2024 due to alleged irregularities, including possible paper leaks. The government has maintained that while genuine concerns based on proven facts must be addressed, allegations based on conjectures should be dismissed to avoid unnecessary distress to honest examinees and their families.
Conclusion
The Union government’s affidavit underscores the importance of maintaining the integrity of the NEET-UG examination while ensuring that students who have worked hard and followed the rules are not unfairly impacted by isolated incidents of malpractice. As the Supreme Court prepares to hear the case, the focus remains on balancing the need for fairness with the broader public interest of preserving the academic calendar and the future of meritorious students.
For more updates on this developing story, visit Sarhind Times.
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