New Delhi, January 2: The Central Government informed the Supreme Court on Thursday that it will implement all corrective measures recommended by a seven-member expert panel concerning exam reforms, following an evaluation of the National Testing Agency’s (NTA) management of last year’s NEET-UG.
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On August 2 of last year, the Supreme Court declined to invalidate the contentious NEET-UG of 2024, stating that there was currently insufficient evidence to suggest any systemic leakage or malpractice that would undermine the examination’s integrity.
The court also broadened the mandate of the expert panel, led by former Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chief K Radhakrishnan, to not only review NTA’s operations but also to propose reforms aimed at enhancing the transparency and integrity of the NEET-UG (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test Undergraduate).
During Thursday’s proceedings, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Central Government, informed a bench consisting of Justices PS Narasimha and Manoj Misra that the committee established by the government has submitted its report and all recommendations will be put into action.
“We are committed to implementing all recommendations, and this matter can be revisited in six months,” the law officer stated.
“The hearing is postponed for three months; this special leave petition will be rescheduled for April,” the bench announced.
The complete report has not been submitted for the records due to the inclusion of sensitive information regarding certain issues, such as the printing of questions.
On October 21 of last year, the Supreme Court extended the deadline for the seven-member expert panel to submit its findings on exam reforms.
The NEET-UG is conducted by the NTA for admissions into undergraduate medical programs.
While broadening the expert panel’s scope, the court highlighted several NTA shortcomings, including a security breach at an exam center in Jharkhand’s Hazaribagh, where an unauthorized opening of the strongroom allowed access to question papers, along with the mishandling of question papers transported by e-rickshaws and distributing incorrect sets among candidates.
Besides Radhakrishnan, the expert committee includes members Randeep Guleria, B J Rao, Ramamurthy K, Pankaj Bansal, Aditya Mittal, and Govind Jaiswal.
The bench noted that the committee’s responsibilities, alongside its tasks assigned by the Union government and NTA, will also encompass examination security, administration, data security, and technological improvements.
Additionally, the committee will focus on policy and stakeholder engagement, collaboration and international cooperation, and advice on mental health support for students and training for NTA staff, as stated.
More than 23 lakh students registered for the NEET-UG in 2024 to gain admission to MBBS, BDS, AYUSH, and other related programs.
In November last year, the Supreme Court rejected a petition seeking a review of the August 2 decision, by which the court had dismissed a request for a fresh NEET-UG 2024 examination. (Agencies)
