A significant number of students invest years of their lives in preparing for entrance tests such as the NEET. However, problems like documents being leaked and anomalies in the results are documented annually. The same applies to this year. The National Testing Agency's (NTA) management of NEET 2024 has come under investigation due to a widely shared video, which has raised severe concerns.
In a widely circulated video, Ayushi Patel, a NEET 2024 candidate from Lucknow, claims that her NEET result was not generated. Upon contacting NTA, she was informed that her OMR sheet was torn and, therefore, her result could not be computed. Ayushi requested to see her OMR sheet and was subsequently sent a torn sheet by NTA, though the answer options were still visible. According to her calculations from the answer keys, she should have scored 715 marks.
The video, which gained significant attention on social media, was even shared by Indian National Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. Priyanka Gandhi's post criticized the government for the recurring issues in exams like NEET and called for accountability from the agencies conducting these exams.
NTA responded to the viral video on the social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter). NTA's statement stated, "Regarding the viral video featuring Ms. Ayushi Patel, claiming discrepancies in NEET (UG) 2024 scoring and receiving of the torn OMR answer sheet, NTA clarifies that no torn OMR answer sheet was sent via an official NTA ID. The OMR answer sheet is intact, and scores are accurate as per official records. Candidates should download scorecards only from the website."
Ayushi Patel has filed a petition in court, with the hearing scheduled for June 11, 2024. Despite the NTA's statement, the controversy has sparked widespread debate about the integrity of the exam results. Other anomalies reported in the NEET 2024 results include 67 candidates scoring full marks, with eight of them from the same exam center, and several candidates receiving grace marks.
To handle the issues, NTA formed a grievance redressal committee. For the more than 23 lakh applicants who took the NEET 2024 exam, the organization has stated that there won't be a retest. The counseling and admission timetable will proceed as anticipated.
Ayushi's case, involving her torn OMR sheet, has particularly highlighted concerns about the handling of exam materials. In her video, Ayushi explained that she did not receive her NEET UG 2024 result initially and, after repeated requests, was sent the torn OMR sheet. She maintains that her calculations align with a score of 715 marks, but she believes the OMR sheet was tampered with, noting a blue thumbprint that she insists should have been black.
In light of the controversy, the Ministry of Education has formed a four-member committee to review the grace marks awarded to over 1,500 candidates in the NEET 2024 results.
(Input from various sources)
(Rehash/ Susmita Bhandary/MSM)
