NEET-UG | No Conflict Of Interest On Part Of IIT Director Who Prepared Data Analytics Report : NTA Tells Supreme Court

The National Testing Agency (NTA) has submitted an additional affidavit to the Supreme Court clarifying that there exists no conflict of interest by the IIT Madras Director, Professor V Kamakoti who has prepared the data analytics report in the ongoing NEET-UG 2024 case. 

It may be noted that the report is relied upon by the Union in denying the presence of mass malpractice in the NEET-UG 2024 exam. The petitioners had in the last hearing contended that the IIT Madras Director was part of the NTA governing body and there existed a conflict of interest, making the report less reliable. 

In the affidavit submitted by NTA Director Binod Kumar Sahu, the Agency has stated that the Director of the IIT holding JEE(Advanced) in a particular year is an ex-officio member of the NTA Governing Body. IIT-Madras holds JEE(A) for 2024.

However, the NTA points out that the core functions are handled by the NTA Managing Committee, not the Governing Body. The Governing Body only deals with policy-related issues and sanctioning of budgets. 

"(b) That Director, IIT Madras happens to be the ex-officio member of the General Body by virtue of the aforesaid provision. This year, JEE (Advanced) 2024 has been assigned to be conducted under the Chairmanship of Director, IIT Madras.

(c) That, however, the General Body of the National Testing Agency (NTA) has no role in its core functioning, which is assigned to the Managing Committee under its bye-laws.

(d) That the role of the General Body, as defined under the bye-laws of the NTA is primarily confined to policy-making matters and sanction of budget etc"

Furthermore, NTA reveals that the IIT Director in question had chosen another professor to attend Governing Body meetings. This nominee took part in the latest meeting held in December 2023.

Notably, NTA states that the IIT Director who prepared the report has not been present at any NTA General Body meeting since December 2022. 

Case Details : VANSHIKA YADAV Versus UNION OF INDIA AND ORS. W.P.(C) No. 335/2024 & connected matters