CJI: First, that candidates securing max 720 marks were confined to a few between 2020-2023. But in 2024, as many as 67 candidates are reported to have secured max of 720 marks
CJI: In this batch, one of the prayers is for a court-mandated re-test of the exam. NEET UG 2024 exam consisted of multiple choice questions involving 180 questions. Each question carried 4 marks making for a total of 720 marks for the exam
CJI: 45 marks were for Chemistry, Physics, Botany and Zoology. 1 negative mark per wrong answer was also envisaged. In support of re-exam, petitioners have relied on 2 circumstances
SG: I should not interrupt, but this press release was not an official press release
CJI (modifying): according to petitioners, a press release was issued by Bihar police in regard to the paper leak...on the other hand, in communication addressed by Addl DGP, EOU, it has been stated that no official press release was issued.
CJI: From material at present stage, it appears that on 5 May, an FIR was lodged in Patna alleging a leak in the NEET UG 2024 question papers, implicating offences under sections...
CJI: On 23 June, 2024, Economic Offences Unit of Bihar police issued a press release noting that in connection with the above FIR, 13 persons including candidates and members of organized gang of exam leak...
Adv Feroz Shaikh (for petitioners): NTA also should be investigated
CJI dictates order
CJI: NTA conducted NEET-UG on May 5, 2024. Results were declared on 4 June, 2024...
CJI : We will give you a day's time. We want all petitioners' lawyers, asking for a re-test, to give us one set of submissions on Wednesday. We want you all to sit down and give us one consolidated set of submissions not exceeding 10 pages.
Counsel : Let the CBI file a status report before this Court regarding all FIRs.
SG requests that the matter be taken next on Thursday.
CJI : Mr SG, What we want to know is this....take instructions from Govt. Can't we run this through the data analytics program in the cyber forensics department to find out, because we have to identify, (a) whether the whole exam is affected, (b) is it possible to identify wrong doers, in which case a re-test can be ordered for those students only.
SG : We are not adversarial to the petitioners. We will assist the Court dispassionately.
CJI : Assuming that we are not going to cancel the exam, what are we going today to identify the beneficiaries of the fraud? What have the govt done so far to identify the beneficiaries?
CJI : The petitioners a great deal of emphasis on the fact that this year there are 67 students who get 720. What is the percentile distribution across category? Is the distribution of marks skewed at the top? That will give us an indication whether the exam pattern was comparatively easier compared to last year.
CJI : Let us not be self-denial about what happened.