On Friday, the Supreme Court is expected to pronounce the detailed judgement giving reasons for trashing petitions seeking cancellation and re-test.
A bench led by Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud along with Justices J.B Pardiwala and Manoj Mishra delivered an interim verdict last month on a batch of petitions seeking a re-test of NEET-UG 2024 to preserve the exam’s sanctity following the allegations of paper leak. Over 23 lakh students appeared for NEET-UG 2024, vying for admission to prestigious courses like MBBS, BDS, and AYUSH. The exam, held on May 5, became controversial due to reported large-scale malpractices. The NTA and the NDA government faced severe backlash, with protests erupting both on the streets and in Parliament.
The Supreme Court heard submissions from a battery of lawyers, including Solicitor General Tushar Mehta for the Centre and National Testing Agency, and senior advocates Narender Hooda, Sanjay Hegde, and Mathews Nedumpara representing the petitioners.
Given the urgency and impact on millions of students, the bench, instead of reserving its verdict, reconvened late in the evening to dictate its order. Chief Justice Chandrachud, in the interim order, noted that the data provided by the NTA and others did not substantiate claims of a systemic leak or widespread fraud sufficient to invalidate the exam results.