NEET UG 2024: Did entire exam paper get solved in 45 minutes before the exam, asks top court

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the National Testing Agency (NTA), informed the court about the unauthorized photography of question papers at a center in Hazaribagh, Jharkhand, during the exam. The CBI has been tasked with investigating the case. The Chief Justice raised questions about the possibility of solving all 180 questions within 45 minutes, to which Mr. Mehta explained that a group of individuals had divided the questions among themselves, casting doubt on the idea that the exam was compromised in such a short time. The bench, emphasizing the social implications and the impact on lakhs of students, scheduled the next hearing for July 22.

It was alleged that the question papers were compromised during transportation by a private courier company, leading to questions about the security of the process. The CBI had suggested a possible leak during transportation to exam centers, raising concerns about the integrity of the entire examination. While the court urged against a re-test, it acknowledged the concerns over the unusually high number of perfect scores and the award of grace marks to a large number of students. The government, based on an analysis by IIT Madras, argued that there was no evidence of widespread malpractice or cheating benefiting some candidates.

The complex case involves issues of security, integrity, and fairness in a high-stakes national examination.