No evidence of paper leak in NEET-UG, allegations of corruption in NTA unfounded: Education minister

NEW DELHI: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Thursday rejected allegations of paper leak in the medical entrance exam NEET-UG, saying there is no evidence to substantiate the claims and added that the government is ensuring no student is at a disadvantage.

The results of the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test-Undergraduate (NEET-UG) were announced by the National Testing Agency (NTA) on June 4.

"There is no evidence of paper leak in NEET-UG. The allegations of corruption in NTA are unfounded, it is a very credible body. It conducts exams for more than 50 lakh school students annually, besides exams at the higher education level," Pradhan told reporters after taking charge as Union education minister for the second time.

His comments came on a day the NTA told the Supreme court that the decision to award grace marks to 1,563 candidates in NEET-UG for admission to MBBS, BDS and other courses was cancelled and they would be given the option to take a re-test on June 23.

"If these candidates do not wish to take the re-test, then their earlier marks, sans the grace marks, will be given for the purpose of results. The grace marks that were awarded earlier were not at the whims and fancy of NTA but were based on a Supreme Court formula, there is a basis to those calculations. If there are certain anomalies, those will be rectified and we will ensure that no student is at a disadvantage," Pradhan said.

The NTA has come under criticism amid allegations of irregularities and inflation of marks in the medical entrance exam.

The education ministry last week set up a four-member panel to review the grace marks awarded to 1,563 students to compensate them for "loss of time" due to delay in starting the examination at certain centres.

"The panel was headed by former UPSC (Union Public Service Commission) chairman Pradeep Kumar Joshi and included the National Medical Commission (NMC) secretary, besides others. Each and every grievance has been reviewed and then only the panel made its recommendations," Pradhan added.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday noted that the sanctity of NEET-UG, 2024, had been affected, a charge denied by the NTA.

The top court, however, refused to stay the counselling process for admissions.

"If the candidates, out of the 1,563, do not wish to take up the retest then their earlier marks, sans the grace marks, will be given for the purposes of the results," the Centre informed the apex court on Thursday.

"The results of the re-test will be declared on June 30 and counselling for admissions in MBBS, BDS and other courses will start on July 6," it said.