Supreme Court Seeks NBE’s Response on NEET-PG 2024 Transparency Petition

In a pivotal legal development, the Supreme Court of India has sought a response from the National Board of Examinations (NBE) regarding a writ petition filed by candidates of the NEET-PG 2024 exam. The petition demands the disclosure of the question papers and answer keys of the examination to ensure transparency in the process. The NEET-PG 2024 exam, held on August 11, 2024, has raised several concerns about fairness and the transparency of the results, which were declared on August 23.

Petition Highlights

Representing the petitioners, Senior Advocate Vibha Makhija emphasized that the NBE has failed to release both the question papers and the answer keys for the NEET-PG 2024 exam. This, she argued, leaves the candidates unable to properly evaluate their performance. Makhija also pointed out that many candidates noticed discrepancies in their scorecards, as the marks did not align with their expectations.

Furthermore, she drew attention to Clause 10.4 of the NEET-PG 2024 Information Bulletin, which states that there will be no provision for re-evaluation, rechecking, or re-totaling of responses. This lack of transparency, coupled with no redressal mechanism, has deepened the frustration among aspirants.

A bench led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, along with Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, agreed to examine the petition and directed the NBE to respond. "Serve a copy of the petition, we will ask for some assistance from the other side," stated the CJI, before listing the matter for further hearing on September 20, 2024.

The petitioners have voiced concerns about multiple changes in the exam format and conduct of NEET-PG 2024, which they allege were made arbitrarily and without prior notice. Notably, the exam, originally meant to be a single-session test, was converted into a two-session format with separate papers for each, just one month before the exam date.

Non-disclosure of Question Papers and Answer Keys: The petition underscores the lack of transparency in the examination process. Candidates were neither provided with the question papers nor their response sheets, nor the official answer keys. The NBE only supplied scorecards showing sections of correctly and incorrectly answered questions, but these did not match the candidates' expectations. This raises concerns about the accuracy of the results.

Introduction of New Marks Normalization Method: Another major grievance highlighted in the petition is the introduction of a new normalization procedure to adjust scores between candidates in the two exam sessions. The petition argues that this normalization system, borrowed from AIIMS, is unsuitable for NEET-PG because it applies different criteria, leading to distorted results. This new method has resulted in what petitioners describe as "clumping" of students at the decimal level, with a significant impact on rank distribution.

The petition further criticizes the tie-breaking system, which counts decimal points up to the 7th digit, creating unnecessary distinctions between candidates and skewing ranks in a way that does not reflect true performance.

The NEET-PG exam is a gateway for aspiring doctors to secure postgraduate medical seats across the country, and even small deviations in marks can lead to drastic differences in rank, affecting candidates' futures. The petition has not only called into question the technicalities of the examination but also pointed out the larger issue of transparency in high-stakes national-level exams.

The upcoming hearing on September 20 will be closely watched by the medical community, especially candidates whose careers hinge on the outcome of this case. The petitioners are seeking a resolution that includes the release of question papers, answer keys, and the response sheets to allow students to verify their scores and ensure that the process is more transparent.

The controversy around the NEET-PG 2024 exam has reignited the debate on the fairness and objectivity of entrance examinations in India, raising serious questions about the need for reforms in how such tests are conducted. With the Supreme Court now involved, the outcome of this case could set a precedent for transparency in future exams.

The NEET-PG counseling is slated to begin on September 20, 2024, the same day the Supreme Court will hear the case. Candidates and stakeholders await the verdict, hoping for measures that would bring more clarity and accountability to the process.