Mounting Tensions: Student Protests Erupt Over Alleged NEET exam Irregularities

Hundreds of students, alongside their concerned parents, rallied outside the Ministry of Education in New Delhi on June 10th, 2024, to protest the perceived irregularities in the recently released NEET 2024 results. The students wanted the ministry to re-evaluate the results as 67 students have obtained all india rank no 1 in the NEET examination 2024.The results also showed a group of students attaining marks above 710 which seemed quite unrealistic.The results of this years NEET examination was announced on June 4th 2024. 

This protest came into light just after the National testing agency announced a four member panel to recheck the grace marks given to across 1500 candidates during this year’s NEET exam. But NTA claims that students were able to score higher marks during this year’s NEET exam because of the changes made in the NCERT books and also the grace marks given to the students due to the lack of time for evaluation. 

The students are calling for a fair and impartial inquiry into the reported inconsistencies in the NEET exam to uphold public trust. The students also said that the dreams of countless students hang in the balance. The Ministry needs to act swiftly to resolve these concerning issues

The students also claim that coaching centres have bribed by giving ranks to the rich students who can afford expensive.Activist Dr. Vivek Pandey reacting to the recently accused scam  wrote on X, “Re-NEET is the only solution to this corruption. Every hardworking student in India deserves fair opportunities.”

Photo credit : newssx

 Student’s accusations regarding the NEET exam   

Students have many claims to put in against the recently conducted NEET examination 2024. The major highlight of this year’s result that sparked controversy was that 67 students were ranked all india rank no, which tries to give green fag for the claim that stated that there can be a high chance of paper leak during this examination as stated by various students.The marks were released on the same day when the Lok Sabha election resulted were announced. Another point that has to be highlighted from the recently published results is that the toppers who secured high ranks were almost all from the same examination centres.

As mentioned previously, students also secured marks like 719 and 718 which is not quite possible to score in the examination.The number of students who scored that marks were a lot in number too. During the registrations for the exam , the authorities have reopened the online registrations for two more days on 9th April and 10th April which didn’t seem like a fair move.

The possibility for a student to score marks above 719 and also for 67 students to score 1st rank is impossible according to the NEET marking scheme. The NEET marking scheme states that a candidate can score 4 marks on a correct answer and loses one mark for a wrong answer and gets no mark if the question is unattempted.   

( This is according to deccan herald article https://www.deccanherald.com/india/explained-what-is-the-neet-2024-exam-result-controversy-and-why-it-happened-3058916#google_vignette) 

Photo credit : ada247

Political turn 

This issue regarding NEET examination has taken a political turn with parties bringing up their opinions and accusing the opponent parties for their influence in the results. Yesterday , Rahul Gandhi promised the students saying that he will be the voice of NEET aspirants in the parliament. He also highlighted the manifesto saying freedom from paper leak.

He also said that he is deeply concerned about the 24 lakh students who appeared in the exam and also their parents and will take this issue to the forefront in the parliament. Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi too responded to the matter stating  the need to address student anxieties, , “Why is the government failing to hear the concerns of hundreds of thousands of students? They deserve clear answers regarding the alleged irregularities in the NEET exam.”