NEET-UG Re-Exam: Nearly 50% of NEET-UG Retest Candidates Skipped Exam

Why the Re-Exam?

The original NEET-UG exam had issues because some questions leaked. This led to unfair advantages, with some students getting extra grace marks. The Supreme Court decided that students who received these grace marks needed to retake the test to ensure fairness.

Attendance Details

Out of 1,563 students who could retake the test, only 813 did (about 52%). Here’s how it broke down by state:

◆▸ Chhattisgarh: 602 eligible, 291 appeared.

• Swami Atmanand Utkrist Hindi Medium Government Girls High School in Dantewada: 417 eligible, 176 appeared.
• DAV Ispat Senior Secondary Public School in Balod: 185 eligible, 115 appeared.

◆▸ Haryana: 494 eligible, 287 appeared.

• DAV Police Public School in Jhajjar: 312 eligible, 178 appeared.
• Kendriya Vidyalaya in Jhajjar: 182 eligible, 109 appeared.

◆▸ Meghalaya: 464 eligible, 234 appeared (Don Bosco College in Tura).

◆▸ Gujarat: 1 eligible, 1 appeared (Mount Litera Zee School in Surat).

◆▸ Chandigarh: 2 eligible, none appeared.

Supreme Court's Role

The Supreme Court ordered this re-exam because 67 students had obtained perfect scores (720/720) due to non-transparent grace marks awarded by the National Testing Agency (NTA). The court directed that the original scores, minus grace marks, would count for those who skipped the re-exam, while revised scores would apply to those who took it again.

Ongoing Investigations

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is looking into the original exam issues and has filed an FIR. The CBI is also sending teams to Patna, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Chandigarh, and other states to bring the accused to New Delhi for further investigation. This action follows complaints by the Education Ministry amid protests by students against the paper leak allegations. Sixty-three candidates have been debarred due to irregularities, including 17 from Bihar and 30 from Godhra in Gujarat.

Government Response

In response to these irregularities, the Ministry of Education has set up a seven-member reform committee, headed by former ISRO Chairman K. Radhakrishnan. This committee will probe the lapses by the NTA and recommend ways to strengthen examination mechanisms within two months. The NTA has asserted that its web portals are secure, dismissing allegations that they were compromised.

Conclusion

The NEET-UG re-exam turnout highlights the ongoing challenges and controversies in the examination system. With significant absenteeism and a backdrop of alleged irregularities, the need for robust reforms in the conduct of entrance exams has become more urgent than ever. The upcoming report from the reform committee will be crucial in shaping the future of the NTA and ensuring fairness in national entrance exams.