NEET-UG result fiasco: Everything you need to know and the possible way forward

The National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test-undergraduate (NEET-UG) results for 2024 declared on June 4 have created a huge controversy. Apart from facing criticism from students and parents the way a few selected students were passed with grace marks has now put a question mark on these results and the overall credibility of the National Testing Agency (NTA) that conducts this examination.

What exactly triggered the NEET-UG result fiasco?

Several people filed legal cases against these results accusing the NTA of leaking the paper and favouring a few students. Three main allegations were made in this case that includes:

• Grace marks were given to a selected few students so that they could pass the NEET exams.
• Some have claimed that the question papers were leaked before the exam and even an FIR was filed regarding the same in Patna. Even the parents of some students were arrested on June 6 after the FIR. There have been claims that around 60 crores were paid to leak this paper and parents of the students appearing for the exam had pooled in money to leak the paper.
• Irregularities while taking examinations at different places have also been observed. Even NTA admitted that such irregularities might have taken place in some places. One example is Sawai Madhopur where 67 students got 100% marks this year whereas in all the previous NEET-UG exams only a few students could get 720/720.

That is why many parents of the students as well as the institutions associated with coaching students for NEET examinations have asked for a proper probe in this controversy and are demanding re-examination.

Existing scenario of NEET-UG Exam and availability of seats

Around 24, 00000 students appear for this examination every year. And the availability of seats in medical colleges is only 1 lakh out of which only 55000 seats are available in government colleges.

Most of the students want to get admission to government colleges because it is more affordable and the fees are comparatively much less than private colleges. The seats are made available based on merit and most of these 24, 00000 students appear for the NEET-UG exam to get a seat in government colleges.

All the hopes and dreams of many students and their families depend largely on the result of this exam. But now that the credibility of the NTA and this exam has come under scanner, it will be difficult for the students to take this exam with the same trust. They will always suspect whether the result is fair and genuine or manipulated.

Even the Apex Indian Court has said that the sanctity of a big national exam like NEET-UG has been compromised.

Next possible action to stop such mess in the future

The latest reports indicate that the government is planning to make major changes in the policies and administration of the NTA and a high-level committee is also expected to be set for the overall overview. Already, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has said that harshest punishment will be administered to those who will be found guilty in this matter.

The government will review all the aspects of this fiasco and once the dispute gets a verdict in the court, it will introduce a few reforms both in the examination format and the NTA. The planned reforms will be made in administration, logistics, operation, and capacity building apart from other areas.