NTA issues clarification on NEET results, doctors demand investigation

CHENNAI: After a major outcry across the country regarding the NEET UG results 2024, the National Testing Agency has again issued a list of clarifications on cutoffs, paper leaks and compensatory marks.

NTA maintained that there was no paper leak and said that the integrity of the examination was not compromised.

With respect to 67 students scoring full marks, the agency said that the increase in candidates naturally led to an increase in high scorers due to a larger pool of candidates.

Regarding the award of grace marks, it said, "NTA received 13,373 challenges to the provisional answer key of one question in Physics. Due to the differences in the old and new editions of the NCERT textbook, the Subject Expert(s) held that two options be taken as correct in place of one option for this question. Out of the 67 candidates who got 720/720 marks, 44 are on account of the revision in one answer key of Physics and 06 are on account of compensatory marks for loss of time."

This highlights that about 50 students became toppers after they were given grace marks. Meanwhile, the agency also justified the increase in cutoff and said that the increase reflects the competitive nature of the examination and the higher performance standards achieved by the candidates this year.

As many questions were raised by the medical fraternity on the declaration of results before the scheduled time, NTA said that the result of NTA examinations including NEET is declared at the earliest on the completion of the necessary checks in the result processing post the answer key challenge period.

NTA managed to declare the Results of about 23 lakh candidates within 30 days, as per the established procedure.

Despite the clarifications, the protests regarding the NEET results are being held across the country.

The state health minister Ma Subramanian also raised the concerns of lack of transparency in the examination and reiterated the demand of NEET exemption.

Meanwhile on Saturday, the Doctor's Association for Social Equality raised the issue of irregularities in the NEET UG results and demanded a thorough investigation in the issue.