The Supreme Court on Friday voiced significant concerns regarding the abrupt changes to the pattern of the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test for Post-Graduation (NEET-PG) 2024, initiated by the National Board of Education (NBE) just days before the scheduled examination date.
Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, presiding over the bench, described the modifications as “very unusual” and expressed apprehension about the potential psychological impact on students, suggesting it could lead to a “meltdown.”
The court’s reaction came after hearing the pleas of the aggrieved students represented by senior advocate Vibha Datta Makhija and lawyer Tanvi Dubey. The bench has called for a response from both the NBE and the Centre within a week, scheduling the next hearing for September 27, ahead of the forthcoming counseling sessions for postgraduate courses.
Highlighting the issues, Makhija pointed out the last-minute nature of the changes concerning the exam pattern, mark normalization, and the lack of disclosure of answer keys and question papers. “There are no clear regulations on how these exams should be conducted, leading to unpredictability and stress among students,” she stated.
The petition, initially brought forth by student Ishika Jain among others on September 13, challenges the transparency of the exam process, especially after the test format was unexpectedly split into two parts just three days before it was held on August 11. The petitioners are demanding the release of answer keys and question papers to ensure fairness in the scoring process.
In contrast, the counsel for the NBE defended the board’s actions, asserting that the changes were not unprecedented or irregular.
The recent results, announced on August 23, have stirred further dissatisfaction among candidates, with many reporting unexpectedly low rankings compared to their assessments based on unofficial answer keys. This discrepancy has led to calls for the NBE to issue official answer keys and establish a grievance portal to address the candidates’ concerns effectively.
Makhija criticized the NBE’s handling of the situation, noting that the absence of question papers and answer keys prevents candidates from adequately assessing and understanding their performance. “The process lacks transparency, making it difficult for students to trust the outcomes,” she added.
