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NEET results: Education Ministry sets up panel to review grace marks to over 1,500 candidates

The IMA Junior Doctors’ Network called for a CBI inquiry into the alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG exam.

Published Jun 08, 2024 | 7:30 PM ⚊ Updated Jun 08, 2024 | 7:30 PM

Panel to review grace marks to NEET UG candidates

Ministry Of Education Press Conference (Screengrab)

The Education Ministry has set up a four-member panel to review the grace marks awarded to more than 1,500 candidates in the NEET-UG medical entrance exam, the National Testing Agency (NTA) announced on Saturday, 8 June.

The move comes amid allegations of inflation of marks leading to 67 candidates sharing first rank in the exam.

There have been calls from several quarters for a re-exam alleging that the grace marks awarded to make up for the loss of time at six exam centres have led to the inflation of marks and tampered with the chances of other candidates. These centres are from Meghalaya, Bahadurgarh in Haryana, Dantewada and Balodh in Chhattisgarh, Surat in Gujarat and Chandigarh.

The result of the medical entrance exam was announced on 4 June. A record of more than 24 lakh candidates had appeared for the exam this year.

“A high-powered committee has been set up to review the results of over 1,500 candidates. The four-member panel headed by a former UPSC chairman will submit its recommendations within a week and the results of these candidates might be revised,” NTA Director General Subodh Kumar Singh said at a press conference in Delhi.

“The awarding of grace marks has not impacted the qualifying criteria of the exam and the review of results of the affected candidates will not impact the admission process,” he added.

Several aspirants of the medical entrance exam NEET have alleged inflation of marks which led to a record 67 candidates bagging the top rank, including six from the same exam centre.

The NTA, however, denied any irregularities and said the changes made in the NCERT textbooks and grace marks for losing time at the examination centres were some of the reasons behind the students scoring higher marks.

Asked about whether the exam will be re-conducted for certain students, the NTA DG said, it will be decided depending upon the committee’s recommendations.

“The idea is to ensure that students who lost time or other students are not at any disadvantage,” he said. Singh denied any paper leak and irregularities in the exam and reiterated that the integrity of the crucial test had been compromised.

Related: NEET UG results are a mess: Aspirants question alleged paper leak, scoring process and more

IMA junior doctors demand CBI probe into irregularities

Earlier, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) Junior Doctors’ Network called for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry into the alleged irregularities in the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test-Undergraduate (NEET-UG) 2024.

The doctor’s body in a letter addressed to Pradeep Kumar Joshi, Chairperson of the National Testing Agency (NTA) and requested a re-examination, “To ensure a fair and transparent evaluation process for all the students.”

Listing the concerns, the letter said that some students have scored 718 and 719 marks, which is statistically questionable.

“There has been no defined logic for the grace marks given to these students. No list has been shared as per given grace marks to students,” the letter further reads. The junior doctors also questioned the lack of action on the alleged NEET 2024 paper leak in many locations.

The Congress in Kerala alleged that results have raised concerns about the authenticity of the national exam for medical courses, with many students casting doubt on the procedure.

The Maharashtra government has sought immediate cancellation of last month’s NEET exam, alleging that its results have caused injustice to the students from the state.