NEET-UG Row: SC Stays Proceedings In HCs As NTA Seeks Transfer Of Pleas To Apex Court

Photo courtesy ANI

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday issued notice on a petition filed by National Testing Agency (NTA) seeking transfer of pleas relating to NEET-UG, 2024 from High Courts to the apex court.

The SC also stayed the proceedings before the High Courts in the cases. However, the apex court reiterated that it will not stop the counselling process, news agency ANI reported.

The Supreme Court also issued notice to the Centre and the NTA on a petition filed by some students who appeared in Meghalaya centre for the NEET-UG exam and allegedly lost 45 minutes. In their petition, the students prayed that they be included as part of the 1,563 students who got grace marks and were given the option to appear for re-exam on June 23.

The NTA had earlier decided to withdraw the grace marks and conduct re-test for 1,563 candidates on June 23. It had said their results would be declared on June 30, so that counselling can start from July 6.

The case will be next heard on July 8.

The SC has been hearing pleas citing paper leak allegations in the examination and told the Centre, NTA that they should deal with negligence in NEET-UG 2024.

“If there is 0.001 per cent negligence on the part of anyone, it should be thoroughly dealt with. All these matters ought not to be treated as adversarial litigation,” a vacation bench of Justices Vikram Nath and SVN Bhatti had observed earlier.

The Supreme Court, during its hearing on fresh petitions concerning alleged paper leaks and malpractices in the NEET-UG 2024 exam held on May 5, has sought a response from the National Testing Agency (NTA) within two weeks.

Petitioners have requested the court to recall the NEET-UG 2024 results and mandate a retest, citing issues of paper leakage and exam malpractices.