SC issues notice to NTA, Centre, seeks response on NEET paper leak

The Supreme Court on Tuesday heard petitions filed by Amulya Vijay Pinapati and Nitin Vijay regarding the alleged NEET-UG 2024 paper leak. The court issued notices to the National Testing Agency (NTA) and the Center, demanding responses within two weeks.

During the hearing, the Supreme Court strongly criticized the NTA and the Center for any negligence, stating that even minor errors must be thoroughly addressed. The bench stressed the importance of maintaining the integrity of the examination process, given the students' hard work and future careers. The court remarked, "Just imagine a doctor treating a person who has passed in this way; it should be investigated."

Nitin Vijay's lawyer argued that such irregularities undermine the credibility of the examination, questioning, "If such an exam is held, how will one become a doctor, only God is the master." The NTA objected, requesting the opportunity to provide a response, and acknowledged a mistake in awarding grace marks.

The Supreme Court reminded the Center and NTA not to treat the petitions as adversarial and to rectify any errors in the examination process. The court will hear the matter again on July 8, alongside a dozen other petitions related to the paper leak and other issues.