SC issued notice to NTA in NEET paper leak case, also asked questions to coaching institute

The Supreme Court, while hearing a fresh petition in the case of NEET UG 2024 on Thursday, asked the National Testing Agency (NTA) if there is any time limit for complaining about OMR sheets.

In the said petition, the court issued notice to NTA and ordered the filing of a reply. It will be heard on July 8, along with the other pending petitions. This order was made by the vacation bench of Justice Manoj Mishra and SVN Bhatti while hearing the petition filed by Xylem Learning Pvt. Ltd and Others.

But the court has also asked about the purpose of filing a petition in the Supreme Court under Article 32 by the coaching institute and what are the effects on the fundamental rights of that institute, so senior advocate R. Basant arguing on behalf of the petitioner, handled very smartly and said that in petition second, third, and fourth petitioners are students who gave NEET-UG exam.

He said that the petitioner students have not received the OMR sheet. On this argument, NTA lawyer Vardhman Kaushik, already present in the court, said that the OMR sheets all have been uploaded on the website; if the petitioners have any complaint regarding the OMR sheet, they can complain.

At the same time, the bench asked NTA how much is the time limit to complain against the OMR sheet. NTA's lawyer said he would tell after taking instructions. He requested to attach this petition with the already pending petitions and noted that in the meantime; he would file the reply. However, according to the lawyer Basant, no fixed procedure has yet been chalked out to complain about the OMR sheet, and that is why the petitioner students are demanding the OMR sheet.

The NEET-UG examination for admission to medical courses was held on May 5. Allegations of paper leaks and irregularities in the exam started pouring in after the examination. Students also protested for the cancellation of the exam and a fair investigation into this matter.

Whereas NTA had taken away grace marks given to 1563 students and had conducted the exam again for them. Also, the investigation of the paper leak case has been handed over to the CBI. Many students have filed petitions in various High Courts and the Supreme Court regarding the NEET-UG exam, saying it is based on an assessment of general facts taken care of by Nakul and Co. Advocates. The Supreme Court has issued notice on all the cases and ordered to hear them together on July 8.