Supreme Court on NEET result Row: "Sanctity Of Exam Affected."

The Supreme Court on Tuesday issued notice to the centre and National Testing Agency (NTA), over a petition seeking to cancel the result of the NEET-UG 2024 - an ultra-competitive entrance test for undergraduate medical courses - amid paper leak allegations. 

The court said that the "sanctity of the exams has been affected" and "we need answers." Seeking a response from the National Testing Agency (NTA), a bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Ahsanuddin Amanullah refused to stay the counseling process for NEET UG 2024.

As Senior Advocate Mathews J Nedumpara asked the apex court to stay the counseling, Justice Nath responded, "Let it start. We are not stopping the counseling."

"It is not that simple. Because you have done it, it is sacrosanct. Sanctity has been affected, so we need answers," Justice Amanullah told the counsel representing the National Testing Agency.

The bench listed the matter for further hearing on July 8, and will be heard with a plea filed before Chief Justice DY Chandrachud. The bench added that if more time is required to file the response, the court will stop the counseling.

The court was hearing a fresh petition in the ongoing row over the NEET-UG 2024 results that claim discrepancies in scores and alleged preferential treatment to some students. The petition asked for the scores from the May 5 exam to be cancelled. The petition also asked for a fresh exam to be held.

On May 17, while the bench led by the Chief Justice was hearing a similar plea, the court issued a notice but did not halt the declaration of results. 

Meanwhile, the NTA has decided a high-powered committee will analyse the grievances of 1,600 students who have already appeared for the NEET 2024 exam.