In a significant announcement, the Centre has committed to the Supreme Court that it will implement all the recommendations provided by a seven-member expert panel focused on revising the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test Undergraduate (NEET-UG) exam system. This decision comes as a response to the controversies surrounding the exam’s integrity and transparency.
On Thursday, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the government, informed Justices PS Narasimha and Manoj Misra that the panel, headed by former ISRO chief K Radhakrishnan, has submitted its report. The government is now poised to adopt comprehensive reforms based on these recommendations. “We are going to implement all the recommendations and it (matter) can be listed after six months,” stated Mehta.
The Supreme Court, while hearing the matter on August 2 last year, declined to cancel the NEET-UG 2024 despite various reports of misconduct. The court had found no sufficient evidence at that time of a systemic leak or malpractice that compromised the exam’s integrity. However, it expanded the expert panel’s duties to review the functioning of the National Testing Agency (NTA), which administers the NEET-UG, and to suggest necessary reforms to enhance transparency and reduce malpractices.
The panel’s review covered several critical areas, including exam security, question paper handling, and the technological infrastructure supporting the exam process. While the full report has not been disclosed due to sensitive content related to exam logistics, significant issues have been addressed, such as security breaches noted last year at a Jharkhand exam center and irregularities in question paper distribution.
The expert committee comprises notable figures including Randeep Guleria, B J Rao, Ramamurthy K, Pankaj Bansal, Aditya Mittal, and Govind Jaiswal, alongside Radhakrishnan. Their remit has been broadened to include examination security, data protection, stakeholder engagement, and international cooperation, as well as supporting the mental health of students and training for NTA staff.
