New Delhi, June 10: The Students Islamic Organization of India (SIO) has filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the Supreme Court, seeking a re-examination of the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) 2024 and an investigation by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) into the conduct of the exam by the National Testing Agency (NTA). During a press conference at the Press Club of India here, SIO leaders detailed numerous discrepancies and irregularities in the NEET (UG) 2024 process.
Abdullah Faiz, National Secretary of SIO, emphasized the need for justice, transparency, and trust in competitive exams. He pointed out the notably lower qualification scores for general category students this year and raised concerns over the unprecedented number of perfect scores, particularly noting that eight of the top 67 students were from a single center in Haryana. This unusual concentration of top scorers has cast doubt on the transparency and fairness of the examination process.
“SIO has brought these discrepancies to the attention of the Ministry of Education and the NTA,” Faiz said. “We approached the Supreme Court for a stay because the consultation process for students is about to begin, and timely intervention is crucial.”
Dr. Roshan Mohiddin, another National Secretary of SIO, questioned the NTA’s actions, especially the sudden reopening of the registration process on April 9th after an initial extension. He cited recent incidents of paper leaks in Bihar and malpractices leading to arrests in Gujarat and Noida as further eroding confidence in the exam’s integrity.
The SIO also raised issues regarding the allocation of grace marks, criticizing the NTA for lack of transparency in documenting or communicating the criteria for these marks. The organization referred to the NTA’s citation of a 2018 Supreme Court ruling on CLAT exams, which was mentioned on Twitter without being included in the official brochure. This, according to SIO, suggests an attempt to obscure significant errors or manipulations in the exam process.
“The allocation of grace marks ranging from -20 to 720 is perplexing,” the SIO stated. “The NTA’s allocation of these marks to 1,600 candidates without prior notification highlights questionable intentions. Additionally, the formation of a high-level committee without disclosing its members’ identities raises serious concerns about impartiality and integrity.”
The SIO’s call for a re-examination and an SIT probe underscores the broader concerns regarding the integrity of one of India’s most critical entrance examinations.
