The Supreme Court of India will hear a plea on Friday regarding the postponement of the NEET PG 2024 examination. Scheduled for August 11, the medical entrance exam has raised concerns among students, who are requesting a delay due to inconvenient exam centre allocations. The plea, filed by advocate Anas Tanwir, highlights the difficulties faced by students in reaching their designated centres.
Students Struggle with Last-Minute Centre Allocations
The plea notes that the cities allocated to students were announced on July 31, while specific centres were only confirmed on August 8. This short notice has left students with limited time to arrange travel to often distant and inaccessible locations. The petition argues that this situation is creating undue stress and challenges for over two lakh students set to appear for the NEET PG 2024 exam.
Supreme Court to Consider Student Hardships
A bench comprising Chief Justice of India (CJI) D Y Chandrachud and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra will hear the case. The petitioners are urging the court to direct the National Testing Agency (NTA) to reschedule the exam, considering the difficulties in travel arrangements due to limited train availability and inflated airfares. These factors, compounded by dynamic pricing, are making it nearly impossible for many students to reach their test centres.
History of NEET UG 2024 Controversy
The NEET UG 2024 exam was initially scheduled for July 23 but was postponed by the Union Health Ministry as a precautionary measure. This decision followed allegations of irregularities in the earlier NEET UG exam held in June. The NEET UG exam saw a controversial outcome with 67 students scoring a perfect 720/720. The unexpected results led to widespread protests and multiple petitions being filed in the Supreme Court.
Re-exam and Reduced Toppers List
The uproar over inflated marks and concentrated toppers from specific centres led to a retest of the NEET UG exam. The re-exam, conducted after the Supreme Court’s intervention, resulted in a significantly reduced list of 17 toppers. This event has fueled ongoing concerns about the integrity of competitive examinations in India, adding to the pressure on the Supreme Court to address the current NEET PG 2024 issues.
Supreme Court’s Role in Competitive Exams
The Supreme Court’s decision on Friday will be closely watched by students, parents, and educational institutions. The court’s intervention in the NEET UG case earlier this year has set a precedent for addressing grievances related to competitive exams. Students are hopeful that the court will consider their challenges and provide a fair solution, possibly postponing the NEET PG 2024 exam to allow them sufficient time to prepare and reach their designated centres.
The Future of NEET Exams
The outcome of this case may have broader implications for how competitive exams are conducted in India. With concerns about fairness, accessibility, and transparency at the forefront, the Supreme Court’s ruling could lead to reforms in the examination process. Students and educational stakeholders alike are eager to see how the court will address these critical issues, potentially shaping the future of medical entrance exams in the country.