Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi accused the Centre of trying to hide its "negligence" regarding the conduct of the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET-UG) 2024, asserting that the party would work to safeguard the future of students.

"The Central government is trying to hide its negligence. The Supreme Court has also taken cognizance of it (the exam issue). People of the country have taken cognizance of it and Congress party and the INDIA alliance will not allow the future of 24 lakh children to be ruined," Gogoi, MP, told ANI.

On Tuesday, the Supreme Court cautioned the Centre and the National Testing Agency (NTA) that any negligence in conducting the NEET-UG 2024 exam should be addressed thoroughly. A vacation bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath and SVN Bhatti remarked, "If there is 0.001 percent negligence on anyone's part, it must be thoroughly dealt with. Such matters should not be treated as adversarial litigation."

The bench emphasized the hard work of students preparing for the exams, stating, "We cannot overlook their effort." They advised NTA's counsel to act fairly and transparently. "If there is a mistake, acknowledge it and outline the corrective actions. This approach will inspire confidence in your performance," the top court instructed NTA, expecting timely action.

Students have voiced concerns about the leakage of question papers, the awarding of compensatory marks, and other anomalies in the NEET-UG 2024 exam. On May 5, the Supreme Court, while hearing petitions related to alleged paper leaks and malpractices, issued notices and requested a response from NTA within two weeks. These pleas, along with several pending petitions, are scheduled for a hearing on July 8.

Several petitions have been filed in the apex court seeking to recall the NEET-UG 2024 results and conduct the exam afresh due to allegations of paper leakage and malpractices. Last week, the NTA informed the Supreme Court that the scorecards of 1,563 NEET-UG 2024 candidates who received "grace marks" for time lost during the exam would be canceled, with the affected students given another chance to reappear on June 23, and results to be declared by June 30.

The Supreme Court has previously declined to stay the counselling process for NEET-UG 2024. The NEET-UG exam, conducted by the NTA, is crucial for admissions into MBBS, BDS, AYUSH, and other related courses in government and private institutions across India.