Wed Nov 06 15:40:56 UTC 2024: ## Supreme Court Dismisses Review Petition Against NEET-UG 2024 Verdict

**New Delhi:** The Supreme Court has dismissed a review petition challenging its previous verdict refusing to conduct the NEET-UG 2024 examination afresh. The bench, headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud, found no grounds for review, stating that “no case for review under Order XLVII Rule 1 of the Supreme Court Rules 2013 has been established.”

The review petition, filed by one of the petitioners under Article 137 of the Constitution, challenged the July 23rd verdict, which dismissed claims of a systemic leak in the exam paper. The court had maintained that the integrity of the NEET-UG examination was not compromised.

The court acknowledged the potential consequences of a fresh exam for over two million students who had already appeared for the exam on May 5th. However, it clarified that its decision would not prevent authorities from taking action against candidates who secured admission through malpractices.

In a significant step, the Supreme Court expanded the remit of the High-Level Committee of Experts, constituted by the Centre in response to the NEET-UG controversy. The panel, led by former ISRO chairman Dr. K. Radhakrishnan, has been tasked with formulating a standard operating procedure (SOP) for future exams, encompassing aspects such as registration timelines, change of exam centers, sealing of OMR sheets, and other processes. The Ministry of Education is required to act upon the committee’s recommendations within one month of receiving the report.

The court also criticized the National Testing Agency (NTA) for its decision to award compensatory marks to 1,563 students for a loss of time during the exam. This decision was later revoked following several petitions to the Supreme Court. Furthermore, the court directed the NTA to re-tally the marks in light of an expert panel’s opinion on a contentious physics question. The panel, from IIT Delhi, found that two options were correct for the ambiguous question, allowing 44 candidates to score full marks.

The Supreme Court’s decision brings a conclusion to the review petition, upholding its initial verdict and reinforcing the sanctity of the NEET-UG 2024 examination. The court’s focus on establishing stricter procedures for future exams through the High-Level Committee of Experts emphasizes the importance of ensuring fair and transparent examination processes.

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