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NEET PG 2024 Counselling Schedule Expected Soon: Key Details

October 15, 2024, 8:21 am

The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) is expected to release the schedule for the NEET PG 2024 counselling process shortly. Candidates who qualified in the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test for Postgraduate (NEET PG) 2024 will soon be able to check the detailed counselling schedule on the official MCC website.

Tentative Counselling Schedule Update

According to Dr. Lakshya Mittal, national president of the United Doctors Front Association (UDFA), the tentative NEET PG 2024 counselling schedule is likely to be released in the next 2-3 days. Dr. Mittal shared this update through a post on X (formerly Twitter), encouraging candidates to remain alert for further announcements.

His tweet reads: “UPDATE: #NEETPG 2024 counselling: NEET-PG 2024 tentative counselling schedule is expected to be updated within the next 2-3 days. We urge all aspirants to stay tuned for further updates. All the best.”

?UPDATE: #NEETPG 2024 counselling:
NEET-PG 2024 tentative counselling schedule is expected to be updated within next 2-3 days.
We urge all aspirants to stay tuned for further updates.
All the best ✌?✨@ANI @Xpress_edex #MedicalEducation pic.twitter.com/fTZykNV4PL

— DR.LAKSHYA MITTAL (@drlakshyamittal) October 14, 2024

This tentative schedule is based on discussions between the UDFA team, the Medical Counselling Committee, and officials from the Health Ministry.

NEET PG 2024 Exam Overview

The NEET PG 2024 exam took place on August 11, 2024, in two shifts: from 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM and from 3:30 PM to 7:00 PM. A total of 2,28,540 candidates appeared for the exam at 416 centres across 170 cities in India. In the morning shift, 1,07,959 candidates attended out of 1,14,276 registered, while in the afternoon shift, 1,08,177 of 1,14,264 registered candidates appeared.

The results of the exam were declared on August 23, 2024. NEET PG is conducted annually for admission to postgraduate medical courses, including MD, MS, DNB, and Diploma programs.

What to Expect Next?

With the release of the counselling schedule just around the corner, candidates are advised to keep checking the MCC’s official website for timely updates. The counselling process will be the next crucial step for candidates seeking admission to various postgraduate medical courses

NEET-UG 2024 : SC Confirms No Systemic Breach, Leak Limited to Patna and Hazaribagh

August 2, 2024, 11:30 am

The Supreme Court announced that there was no systemic failure in the administration of the NEET-UG 2024 examination on August 2. The court confirmed that the leak of the exam papers was confined to Patna and Hazaribagh only.

Chief Justice of India Chandrachud stated, “We have come to the conclusion that there was no systemic breach of the papers; the leak was only limited to Patna and Hazaribagh.”

The Supreme Court has established several guidelines to address paper leaks. Following the incidents in Hazaribagh and Patna, a committee was formed to implement these guidelines. Advocate Shwetank Sailakwal explained that the committee is tasked with overseeing paper transport, installing CCTV cameras, and preventing impersonation. The committee has been instructed to report back to the Supreme Court, with an extended deadline for the report submission.

Regarding the request for a re-test, the Supreme Court decided against it, citing no widespread breach of the exam’s integrity. The court criticized the National Testing Agency (NTA) for its inconsistent handling of the situation. The bench, including Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, Justices JB Pardiwala, and Manoj Misra, had previously rejected the plea for a re-examination on July 23 and indicated that detailed reasons for their decision would be provided later.

NEET-UG likely To be Replaced By Online Format

July 9, 2024, 8:53 am

The national eligibility-cum-entrance test for undergraduate medical studies, NEET-UG, may be replaced by online exam format similar to JEE-Mains for engineering courses, according to the Center’s plans. The Supreme Court is apparently investigating recent reports of irregularities in the test, which are the reason for this adjustment.

The idea of converting NEET-UG to an online format has been discussed within the relevant committee, according to an anonymous central government official, but no formal direction has yet been issued. Online testing is becoming more popular due to the recent controversy surrounding NEET-UG and other competitive exams.

A second official highlighted the logistical challenges of this potential change, noting that around 2.3 million students took the test in 2024. Equipping the approximately 4,000 test centers across the country with computers and the necessary infrastructure would be a significant task. However, the official acknowledged the benefits of conducting the exams online, similar to JEE-Mains.

Currently, NEET-UG is administered offline using pen and paper, where students answer multiple-choice questions on an OMR sheet. If converted to a Computer Based Test, candidates would use a computer to take the test and mark their answers digitally.

In 2024, 1.4 million students appeared for JEE-Mains, which was conducted across 570 centers.

Exams will soon be computer-based, according to Dr. MC Misra, a former director of AIIMS in Delhi. In order to close current gaps, he thinks that getting online is crucial. “Taking this test online is the only way forward to plug the loopholes; there is no point in continuing with the offline mode when the whole world is moving towards computer-based exams,” he added. Notwithstanding, he conceded the intricacy of executing an exam of this magnitude virtually and proposed that, in order to facilitate the shift smoothly, it might be imperative to administer the test in stages and furnish localised questionnaires.

NEET PG 2024 to be conducted on August 11 in two shifts

July 5, 2024, 3:01 pm

The National Test Agency (NTA) has announced that the NEET PG 2024 exam will take place on August 11 in two shifts, maintaining August 15, 2024, as the eligibility cut-off date for candidates. Originally scheduled for June 23, the exam was postponed at the last moment by the Health Ministry amidst concerns about exam integrity.

Following criticisms regarding discrepancies in competitive exams, including NEET-UG, NTA Director General Subodh Singh was replaced, and the investigation into these issues was entrusted to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The Ministry of Education emphasized the decision was made to ensure transparency and integrity in the examination process.

“The government is committed to upholding the fairness of exams and safeguarding the interests of students,” an official stated, highlighting that severe action will be taken against any individuals or organizations found involved in irregularities.

UGC-NET Paper Leaked? Paper Found On Darknet, Telegram Announced Dharmendra Pradhan

June 21, 2024, 9:48 am

In the aftermath of canceling the UGC-NET paper based on inputs provided by the national anti-cybercrime agency, union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan recently announced, that exam papers were leaked ‘in the darknet’ on Thursday.

As per education minister, cancelling UGC-NET paper within 24 hours wasn’t a ‘knee-jerk reaction.

Speaking about alleged paper leak, Pradhan said, ‘Based on information from the National Cyber Crime Threat Analytics Unit of Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), prima facie it was found that there were question papers in the darknet. Papers were also being circulated on Telegram (messaging platform).’

He also revealed that the leaked question paper matched with the authentic one. That’s why the exams were cancelled.

Earlier, the joint secretary of education ministry Govind Jaiswal, had announced, that fresh exam will be held, but the timeline hasn’t been revealed yet.

Meanwhile, this development coincided with recent allegations made by students, which alleged, that the NEET-UG 2024 paper had been leaked.

Additionally, 1,500 students were initially awarded grace marks. However, following protests, these grace marks were removed, and students were offered the option to take a re-test. Which will take place on June 23.

But the education minister has consistently denied any claims of a leaked paper. Meanwhile the case has taken a new turn with the arrest of four men, who confessed, that the paper was leaked night before the exam.

The names of the arrested men are aspirant Anurag Yadav, his uncle Sikandar – who is a junior engineer at Danapur municipal council, Nitish Kumar and Amit Anand.

It remains to be seen, when the exams of UGC-NET will be conducted.

NEET-UG 2024 Controversy: Supreme Court To Hear New Petitions Today

June 20, 2024, 12:45 pm

Today, the Supreme Court will hear new petitions about the NEET-UG 2024 exam. There are claims of paper leaks and cheating. The vacation bench of Justice Vikram Nath and Justice SVN Bhatti will handle these petitions.

Eight petitions are from 56 students. They talk about problems in the NEET-UG exam. The Student Federation of India (SFI) also filed a petition. They want the exam to be canceled and held again. The petitions ask the Central Government to keep the exams fair. They want steps to stop paper leaks and cheating in future exams.

Another petition from 20 students asks for an investigation. They want the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or another independent agency to look into the exam issues. They want to check students who scored over 620 marks. The National Testing Agency (NTA) has filed 10 petitions. They want all other cases about NEET-UG transferred to the Supreme Court. There are reports of paper leaks in states like Bihar. This has caused protests and many petitions in different courts.

On Wednesday, the Supreme Court did not stop NEET counseling. Earlier, the court asked the NTA to check for any exam issues. Justices Nath and Bhatti said even small mistakes in the exam must be fixed. They stressed that the exam issues should not be treated as regular court cases. The court did not start a CBI investigation last week. But it asked the NTA to respond to the new petitions in two weeks.

The Supreme Court noted that students work hard for these exams. They said NEET-UG 2024 issues should not be adversarial. On June 13, the Central Government and NTA told the Supreme Court they canceled grace marks for 1,563 students. These students took the exam for medical courses.

NEET UG 2024 Row: Arrested Candidate Confesses To Exam Paper Leak

June 20, 2024, 12:44 pm

Anurag Yadav, a 22-year-old NEET 2024 candidate, has admitted to using a leaked question paper for his exam. The leaked paper he received matched the actual exam paper.

Anurag Yadav, the nephew of an engineer working at Bihar’s Danapur Town Council, confessed in a letter. His relative, Sikandar Prasad Yadavendu, assured him that everything for the exam was arranged. Yadav said he was given the leaked NEET 2024 question paper with answers. During the exam, he found the actual paper was the same as the leaked one. Yadav’s confession letter also had his signature.

The Union Education Ministry has asked Bihar Police’s Economic Offences Unit for a report on the NEET exam irregularities. There have been many reports of question paper leaks in Bihar and other states. These issues have caused protests in several cities and led to court cases in high courts and the Supreme Court. A senior ministry official stated, “We have asked for a detailed report on the irregularities in Patna’s NEET exam. The government will take action once the report is received.”

The government is dedicated to maintaining the fairness of exams and protecting students’ interests. The official added, “Anyone involved in this issue will face strict action.” The NEET exam leak scandal has raised serious concerns about the integrity of the examination process. Authorities are working to ensure such incidents do not happen again and that those responsible are held accountable.

NEET 2024 Controversy: Kapil Sibal Urges SC Inquiry, Criticizes PM Modi

June 16, 2024, 7:07 pm

Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament Kapil Sibal has urged for a Supreme Court inquiry in investigating the NEET-UG examination controversy. He also urged the government to engage in discussions with all states on the future conduct of this medical entrance exam, particularly in light of concerns about irregularities in the marking process.

He emphasized the necessity of a CBI investigation to safeguard the administration. He suggested that such an inquiry should be conducted by an independent agency or officials appointed by the Supreme Court, rather than by the current government in power.

The ex-Congress leader criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi regarding the NEET UG 2024 controversy, stating that when the examination process is compromised, it’s “not really neat for the PM to remain silent” as it undermines the integrity of the system.

Sibal said, “The present National Testing Agency (NTA) has bungled, and corruption has been brought to light on media platforms, such as providing solutions for question papers for something like becoming a doctor.”

He also called on all political parties to bring up the NEET UG matter in Parliament, although he expressed doubt that it would be prioritized.

The Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha also criticized Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, following his dismissal of any accusations regarding a paper leak or manipulation in the medical entrance examination.

“Let him go on social media and see how this is happening in Gujarat itself. The state of Gujarat is one of the progressive states, even in respect of corruption it seems to be somewhat progressive,” Sibal said. He further alleged that corruption during examinations is not only rampant in one state, but across the country.

Sibal added, “If 67 students have maxed and some of them belong to the same center, I think the minister should be worried about it instead of saying there is nothing wrong. In this government, there would not be any minister who will admit that something wrong has been done.”

In the NEET UG 2024 exam on May 5, more than 24 lakh students participated nationwide. Allegations of irregularities surfaced as 67 students achieved top scores, sparking concerns of question paper leaks in Bihar.

NEET 2024 Watch: NTA Schedules Re-Exam for June 23, Supreme Court to Hear Pleas on July 8

June 15, 2024, 1:25 pm

The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) 2024 results continue to stir controversy. The Supreme Court is set to hear two new petitions today seeking the cancellation of the NEET UG Results 2024. The National Testing Agency (NTA) announced the NEET results on June 4, but soon after, disputes regarding the number of top scorers and the awarding of grace marks emerged. Discontent with the results, numerous students and experts have approached the Supreme Court, requesting the exam’s annulment. Additionally, a NEET UG re-exam for over 1,500 candidates is scheduled for June 23, 2024.

Supreme Court to Hear NEET 2024 Result Cancellation Plea

On June 13, the Supreme Court addressed the NEET UG result cancellation and two other pleas. Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta of the vacation bench heard the petitions. The petitioners sought the cancellation of the NEET UG 2024 exam, a retest, and the removal of grace marks. Among the petitioners was Physics Wallah CEO Alakh Pandey, who argued that NTA’s decision to award grace marks was “arbitrary.”

This follows a June 11 decision by the vacation bench to issue a notice to NTA, acknowledging concerns that the ‘sanctity of the exam’ may have been compromised. However, the Supreme Court had previously declined to halt the NEET counselling process, instructing the counsel to direct the plea through the Chief Justice. The plea addressed on June 11 pertained to the NEET paper leak, filed on June 1 before the results were announced, and was rescheduled for July 8. The counsel was permitted to request the consolidation of all related pleas with the registry after the Supreme Court’s vacation ends.

Today, the apex court will consider pleas challenging the NEET UG results and the methodology employed by the NTA. The hearing is set to commence at 10:30 am.

NEET Result 2024 Controversy Explained

The NEET 2024 results were published on June 4, naming 67 students as toppers with All India Rank (AIR) 1. Some students scored 718 and 719 marks, which, according to the NEET marking scheme, should not be possible. The NTA explained that it awarded grace marks to over 1,500 students due to time lost and the revision of a Physics question. This explanation did not quell the controversy, as students have alleged discrepancies in the results, leading to nationwide outcry. Additionally, allegations of tampering with NEET OMR sheets have further heightened concern.

#WATCH | Patna, Bihar: Students stage a protest over NEET exam issue demanding cancellation of the exam.

NTA has earlier announced to reconduct the NEET (UG)– 2024 on 23 June 2024 for 1563 candidates who had experienced time loss during the originally scheduled examination on… pic.twitter.com/X5WgihVgSA

— ANI (@ANI) June 15, 2024

NEET 2024: SC Seeks NTA’s Response On Fresh NEET-UG Plea

June 11, 2024, 2:54 pm

The Supreme Court has asked for the National Testing Agency’s feedback on a request for a new administration of the NEET-UG medical entrance exam in 2024, citing concerns about a purported question paper leak and other misconduct.

A vacation bench consisting of Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Ahsanuddin Amanullah declined to halt the counseling process for successful candidates seeking admissions to MBBS, BDS, and related courses. They said the integrity of the exam had been compromised.

“It is not that simple that because you have done it is sacrosanct. Sanctity has been affected, so we need answers,” a vacation bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Ahsanuddin Amanullah told NTA.

Advocate Mathews J Nedumpara, representing the petitioners, requested the bench to halt the counseling process. Despite this, the apex court declined to pause the counseling process and scheduled the case for a hearing on July 8.

“Let the counseling start, we are not stopping the counseling,” the bench remarked.

The Supreme Court was examining requests to nullify the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test – Undergraduate (NEET-UG) 2024 exam due to claims of a leaked paper and various other irregularities reported this year. In addition to the paper leak, NEET-UG applicants have raised concerns about discrepancies in the allocation of compensatory marks to students due to time loss.

Several petitions were filed in the apex court, urging a directive to recall the NEET-UG 2024 results and to conduct a fresh examination. These petitions alleged paper leakage and malpractices in the test that took place on May 5.

The NTA has categorically denied any irregularities or discrepancies in its operations and procedures.

The NEET-UG examination, overseen by the National Testing Agency, stands as the pivotal gateway for aspiring students seeking admission into prestigious courses such as MBBS, BDS, AYUSH, and various related programs offered by esteemed government and private educational institutions throughout the nation.

Maharashtra Government Calls For Canceling NEET Results, Alleges Injustice To State Students

June 8, 2024, 12:06 pm

The Maharashtra government has urgently requested the annulment of last month’s NEET examination, claiming that the results have unfairly impacted students from the state. Numerous candidates of the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test, which took place on May 5 across 4,750 centres in 571 cities, have previously accused the inflation of scores, resulting in an unprecedented 67 candidates achieving the highest rank, including six from a single examination centre in Haryana.

The examination results were announced on June 4. Despite this, the National Testing Agency refuted any irregularities, attributing students’ higher scores to alterations in NCERT textbooks and the provision of grace marks for time lost at examination centres.

On Friday, Maharashtra Medical Education Minister Hasan Mushrif said, “The NEET exams were probably conducted after taking money. The results are such that no student of Maharashtra will get admission for the MBBS course in government or private college in the state.” He said parents of many students have approached him seeking to address the issue.

“This has caused injustice to Maharashtra and it must be immediately cancelled. We are going to tell NMC about it,” he said. Mushrif said the government was even contemplating approaching the court over the issue. NEET-UG is the qualifying entrance exam for admission to Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery, Bachelor of Dental Surgery, Bachelor of Ayurveda, Medicine and Surgery, Bachelor of Siddha Medicine and Surgery, Bachelor of Unani Medicine and Surgery, and Bachelor of Homeopathic Medicine and Surgery and BSc Nursing courses.

There are more than 80,000 MBBS seats in over 540 medical colleges in the country. Congress has earlier targeted the government on the issue. Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Friday called for the resolution of students’ “legitimate complaints” through an investigation, “First the NEET exam paper was leaked and now the students allege that there has been a scam in its results as well. Serious questions are being raised on 6 students of the same centre getting 720 out of 720 marks and many kinds of irregularities are coming to the fore.” There are reports of many children committing suicide across the country after the results were announced, Gandhi said and asked, “Why is the government ignoring the voice of lakhs of students? Students want answers to legitimate questions related to the rigging in the NEET exam results.”

Trends emerging from the latest #NEET results have once again vindicated our principled opposition to the exam.

Issues such as question paper leaks, clustering of toppers at specific centres, and award of marks, which are mathematically impossible, under the guise of grace…

— M.K.Stalin (@mkstalin) June 7, 2024

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin also opposed the NEET saying the entrance test goes against social justice and federalism. “Issues such as question paper leaks, clustering of toppers at specific centres, and award of marks which are mathematically impossible under the guise of grace marks highlight the pitfalls of the current union government’s centralisation. These events emphasise the need to restore the pre-eminence of state governments and school education system’s role in determining criteria for professional course selection, he said,” he said on X.

Priyanka Gandhi Emphasizes Investigation To Address NEET ‘Irregularities’ Raised By Students

June 7, 2024, 12:14 pm

On Friday, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra criticized the Modi government for purported irregularities in the NEET medical entrance exam, urging that students’ “valid complaints” be addressed through an investigation.

Several aspirants of the medical entrance exam NEET have alleged inflation of marks which led to a record 67 candidates bagging the top rank, including six from the same exam centre.

The National Testing Agency (NTA) refuted any allegations of irregularities, attributing the higher scores of students to alterations in the NCERT textbooks and the provision of grace marks for time lost at examination centers.

पहले NEET परीक्षा का पेपर लीक हुआ और अब छात्रों का आरोप है कि इसके रिजल्ट में भी स्कैम हुआ है। एक ही सेंटर के 6 छात्रों को 720 में से 720 अंक मिलने पर गंभीर सवाल उठ रहे हैं और कई तरह की अनियमितताओं की बातें सामने आ रही हैं। दूसरी ओर, रिजल्ट आने के बाद देश भर में कई बच्चों के…

— Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) June 7, 2024

In a post in Hindi on X, Gandhi said, “First the NEET exam paper was leaked and now the students allege that there has been a scam in its results as well. Serious questions are being raised on 6 students of the same centre getting 720 out of 720 marks and many kinds of irregularities are coming to the fore.”

Gandhi mentioned that there are reports of numerous children taking their own lives nationwide following the announcement of the results, expressing deep sadness and shock over the matter.

She questioned why the government is disregarding the concerns of millions of students. Gandhi emphasized that students are seeking answers to valid questions regarding alleged manipulation in the NEET exam results.

Gandhi further inquired whether it is not the government’s duty to address these “legitimate complaints” by initiating an investigation.

NEET UG 2024 Results Out: NTA Clarifies Scoring For 718, 719 Marks

June 6, 2024, 3:26 pm

On June 4, 2024, the National Testing Agency (NTA) announced the results of the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test Undergraduate (NEET UG 2024). This year, 67 candidates attained NEET All India Rank (AIR) 1, securing a percentile score of 99.997129.

Concerns have been raised by students and educators regarding the plausibility of scoring 718 marks, asserting that it falls outside the expected range. It’s been pointed out that after reaching 720 marks, the scoring system only allows for increments of 4, making it impossible to achieve a score of 718.

The NTA has issued a clarification on this. NTA said that candidates who reported losing time during the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test Undergraduate (NEET UG 2024) have been given grace marks.

“NTA received few representations and Court Cases from the candidates of NEET (UG) 2024 raising concerns of loss of time during the conduct of the examination on 05.05.2024. Such cases/representations were considered by NTA and the normalisation formula, which has been devised and adopted by the Hon’ble Apex Court, vide its Judgment dated 13.06.2018, was implemented to address the loss of time faced by the candidates of NEET (UG) 2024,” the NTA said.

“The loss of examination time was ascertained and such candidates were compensated with grace marks. So, the candidate’s marks can be 718 or 719 also,” the NTA explained.

? Attention NEET UG 2024 Candidates! ?
NEET UG 2024 results are now live!
Check your scorecard at https://t.co/nHoobRBnvS
Enter your application number and DOB. Ensure your scorecard includes your photo and barcode, or re-download it if it is missing. Best of luck!

— National Testing Agency (@NTA_Exams) June 4, 2024

“NEET Candidates with the same sequence starting with 2307010168, 333, 403, 460, 178, 037, 186, 198 top from the same centre. Two Scored 718,719 and NTA is saying they got grace marks,” wrote Indian Doctor on X.

“8 #NEET Candidates with same sequence starting with 2307010168, 333, 403, 460, 178, 037, 186, 198”

★Topped from same centre

★ Two Scored 718,719

& @NTA_Exams is saying -they got grace marks

Is this justifiable?

@dhruv_rathee @INCIndia #medtwitter #NEETUG2024 pic.twitter.com/sMHJIQ036Z

— Indian Doctor?? (@Indian__doctor) June 5, 2024

Sharing the screenshot of the toppers list shared by the NTA, another student said, “All roll numbers are too close. It shows that the paper was leaked. Why NTA is playing with the future of young students?”

All roll numbers are too close. It shows that paper was leaked. Why NTA is playing with the future of young students?

5 topper Ek hi centre pe the ???#NEET #Neet_paper_रद्द_करो #Neet pic.twitter.com/rf83Hoj89K

Dr. Ashish Mahendra raised questions on how 8 students from the same center topped the exam.

“Is this just a coincidence? Centre code is the same of 8 topper students from serial no 62 to 69. 2. Kya saare toppers ek he centre par jaate hai exam dene?,” Dr Mahendra wrote on X.

Is this just a coincidence??????

1. Centre code is same of 8 topper students from serial no 62 to 69.

2. Kya saare toppers ek he centre par jaate hai exam dene?#NEET_परिक्षा_परिणाम #NEET pic.twitter.com/pLCXqSc1WH

— Dr. (Prof.) Ashish Mahendra(Education Counsellor) (@DrAsh_Mahendra) June 5, 2024

NEET Exam Fallout: 44 Students Top Due To Erroneous Answer In Wrong Textbook

June 6, 2024, 3:26 pm

Out of the 67 candidates achieving a perfect score (720/720) in the 2024 NEET-UG results, as announced by the NTA on Tuesday, a surprising 44 secured top positions due to an unexpected reason: they received “grace marks” after answering a fundamental physics question incorrectly.

The root cause lies in their reliance on an erroneous reference within their old Class 12 NCERT science textbook.

Since 2019, the number of NEET UG toppers has not exceeded three in any given year. NEET UG serves as the sole gateway for admission to all MBBS programs across the nation. In 2019 and 2020, there was one topper each. In 2021, there were three, followed by one in 2022 and two in the previous year.

However, this year, a multiple-choice Physics question on atoms opened the floodgates for high scores.

The question was based on two statements. The first said: “Atoms are electrically neutral as they contain equal numbers of positive and negative charges.” The second statement said: “Atoms of each element are stable and emit their characteristic spectrum.”

Candidates were asked to choose the “most appropriate answer” from four options:

One: First is correct but second is incorrect; Two: first is incorrect but second is correct; Three: both first and second statements are correct; Four: both statements are incorrect.

The correct answer is Option 1 since the first statement is correct and the second is not since atoms of radioactive elements are not stable.

On May 29, NTA released its provisional answer key which showed that Option 1 is correct.

However, more than 10,000 candidates challenged the answer key on the grounds that an old version of the Class 12 NCERT textbook inaccurately states, “Atoms of each element are stable.” The correct answer is that atoms of “most” elements are stable, as stated in the new version of the NCERT Chemistry textbook.

“Since we strongly recommend all aspirants study only from NCERT textbooks for their NEET preparation, we decided to give credit to all those candidates who marked the third option (of the multiple-choice question) as the answer. The third option stated that both statements 1 and 2 are correct,” said an NTA official.

This decision saw 44 candidates have their scores boosted from 715 to a perfect 720, making them among the unprecedented number of NEET-UG toppers this year.

“In India, for ages, older siblings have been passing on their books to their younger siblings, and there is no harm in it; we have all done it. The NTA cannot ask students to specially buy new books too as it may not be viable for everyone. So, we will hold a meeting and establish proper protocols for such a situation,” another NTA official said when asked why the agency decided to award grace marks for an incorrect answer.

NTA hasn’t flagged the discrepancy between the old and new version of the Class 12 textbook to NCERT. “We will notify the NCERT now for future reference, but nothing can be done by NCERT for this year’s NEET exam,” the senior official added.

“However, the NTA official clarified that although 67 students have been awarded the first rank, it does not guarantee admission to AIIMS for all of them. The NTA employs a tie-breaker policy, wherein each student securing AIR 1 will have their actual position determined on the merit list according to this policy. This detail is explicitly mentioned on each student’s scorecard,” the official explained.

When queried whether this was the sole reason behind the record number of NEET UG toppers this year, the official clarified that while it played a significant role, other factors also contributed. “The fact that the paper was relatively easier this year and there was a substantial increase in the number of registrations were also influential,” they stated.

This year, there was a record registration of 23.81 lakh students for NEET UG, marking an increase from last year’s 20.87 lakh registrations. According to data provided by the NTA, a total of 9.96 lakh boys, 13.32 lakh girls, and 17 transgender candidates appeared for the exam.

Among the 67 candidates who scored a perfect 720, the majority hail from Rajasthan (11), followed by Tamil Nadu (8), Maharashtra (7), and then four each from Andhra Pradesh and Bihar.

‘Cancel NEET 2024’: Students Demand NEET 2024 Re-Exam Over Alleged Paper Leak, Grace Marks, and Result Irregularities

June 6, 2024, 2:11 pm

A significant number of medical aspirants are calling for a re-examination of the NEET 2024 exam due to allegations of paper leaks, last-minute implementation of grace marks for time loss, and errors in NEET 2024 results. The National Testing Agency (NTA) clarified on Tuesday night that the NEET grace marks were given to students who raised concerns about time loss during the exam. However, students have expressed dissatisfaction, stating that the NTA’s statement lacks clarity.

The NTA announced the NEET UG results 2024 for over 24 lakh students on June 4 on the official website, exams.nta.ac.in, 10 days before the scheduled result date. The NEET UG result date coincided with the announcement of the general election 2024 results.

According to the NEET 2024 results, a total of 67 candidates achieved All India Rank (AIR) 1, with the highest score being 99.997129 percentile. The NEET cut-offs for all categories also increased this year.

Despite the NTA dismissing claims of NEET paper leaks, which began circulating even before the exam took place, the Economic Offences Unit (EOU) of the Bihar Police department arrested 13 individuals in connection with the NEET UG paper leak case. Subsequently, the testing agency conducted a re-examination for candidates who had different question papers at the Rajasthan exam center.

Irregularities in NEET were also reported in Gujarat and Odisha. In Gujarat’s Godhra district, a criminal case was filed against three individuals, including a school teacher, who allegedly helped six NEET aspirants solve the question paper in exchange for Rs 10 lakh from each candidate. The police also seized Rs 7 lakh paid in advance to the teacher by one of the examinees.

NEET Grace Marks 2024

Following the NEET result declaration, the NTA issued a statement explaining how some students obtained 718 and 719 marks out of 720. The NTA clarified that the decision to award grace marks was made to compensate for the loss of exam time, as per a court order.

“The loss of examination time was ascertained, and such candidates were compensated with grace marks. So, candidates’ marks can be 718 or 719 also,” the NTA said in its latest tweet.

NEET Paper Leak 2024

Prior to the national medical entrance exam, a video surfaced on social media showing a masked individual claiming that the mastermind behind the BPSC TRE 3 exam paper leak might also leak the NEET UG questions. However, there was no official confirmation or clarification from the NTA regarding this. Later, the testing agency dismissed the claims as “baseless allegations.”

NEET Irregularities

Some students pointed out that the NEET 2024 result notification initially included details on the marks obtained by candidates in each category but was later removed. They also argued that the last-minute awarding of grace marks was “unfair.”

Students are also demanding the “Apex Court order dated 13.06.2018” based on which the grace marks were awarded.

NEET Toppers 2024

There have been doubts raised by aspirants about the NEET toppers, with claims that candidates with the same sequence of roll numbers achieved the highest marks in the NEET exam. “8 #NEET Candidates with the same sequence starting with 2307010168, 333, 403, 460, 178, 037, 186, 198 topped from the same center,” an aspirant wrote on X.