NEET-UG Paper Leak: SC Rejects Pleas Seeking Retest, Result Cancellation

The Supreme Court of India on Tuesday rejected pleas that sought National Eligibility cum Entrance Test-Undergraduate (NEET-UG) retest and the cancellation of the result. Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud noted during the hearing that the data on record is not indicative of a system leak of the question paper which would indicate a disruption of the sanctity of the exam.

Even as the CBI investigation into the matter continues, the candidates at Patna and Hazaribagh appear to be beneficiaries of the leak, observed CJI Chandrachud. He noted that there is no dispute regarding the fact that the leak had taken place at Patna and Hazaribagh.

The Supreme Court said that it is imperative that there is an urgent need to put an end and provide certainty and finality as the matter affects the careers of over 2.3 million students. Earlier, the CJI said that the key issue raised by the petitioners was that a retest should be ordered as there was a paper leak and systematic deficiencies in the conduct of the test.

During the hearing, senior advocate Narendra Hooda told the bench that out of the 1,563 students who were award grace marks in the test, 773 were those who could not score the cut-off of 164 marks.

Hooda argued that a retest should be ordered even if 1,000 candidates benefited from unfair means. “We can't reach a conclusion that everybody (tainted candidates) has been identified and the rest are pious candidates who should not be bothered further.”

The advocate further pointed out that Sanjeev Mukhia, the paper leak gang’s head, is yet to be arrested. “The moment it is established the leak has happened, the dissemination is through WhatsApp…government of India is taking a firm stand that the beneficiaries of the leak are confined to Hazaribagh and Patna,” said Hooda.

He added, “This confidence emanates from one fact that the accused in custody has said that the leak is confined to Patna and Hazaribagh.”

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