Lok Sabha Question No. 124 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-07-22
Subject: Students secured Full Marks in NEET
Ministry: EDUCATION
Asked by: Shri Omprakash Bhupalsinh Alias Pavan Rajenimbalkar, Ms. Praniti Sushilkumar Shinde

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. †124 ANSWERED ON 22.07.2024

## Students secured Full Marks in NEET

## †124.  SHRI OMPRAKASH BHUPALSINH ALIAS PAVAN RAJENIMBALKAR: MS. PRANITI SUSHILKUMAR SHINDE:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether it is a fact that NEET exam was conducted by the National Testing Agency on 05/05/24 at 4750 centers;
- (b)  if  so,  the  number of students who got 720/720 marks in the examination along with the details thereof;
- (c) whether grace marks were awarded in the aforesaid exam;
- (d) if so, the number of students awarded grace marks along with the details thereof;
- (e) whether it is a fact that an illegal way was adopted in this examination;
- (f) whether  the  Government  has  conducted  any  inquiry  into  it  or  is  being  investigated  by  any committee if so, the details thereof;
- (g)  whether the UGC NET 2024 exam has been cancelled;
- (h) if so, the details thereof; and
- (i) the reason for cancelling this exam and the stringent steps taken by the Government to prevent such incidents?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION (DR. SUKANTA MAJUMDAR)

(a) to (f) The National Testing Agency conducted the NEET(UG) 2024 Examination on 5th May, 2024 at  4750  Centres.  As  per  the  result  initially  declared  by  NTA  on  4 th June,  2024,  there  were  67 candidates, who had secured 720/720 marks, which included 6 candidates who had got grace marks on  the  recommendation  of  the  Grievance  Redressal  Committee  (GRC)  constituted  by  NTA.  GRC looked into the grievances received from candidates who claimed to have suffered loss of time during the examination at few centres and  recommended  that  they  be  compensated  as  per  the formula/mechanism followed  in  the  judgement  dated  13.06.2018  of  the  Hon'ble  Supreme  Court  in W.P 551 of 2018. Accordingly, grace marks were given to 1563 candidates.

However, the decision of NTA regarding grace marks was revisited by a High-Powered Committee constituted by NTA which recommended to conduct re-test for all 1563 candidates to whom grace marks were awarded. The same was placed before Hon'ble Supreme Court on 13.06.2024 in the case WP (Civil)No.336/2024 Jaripiti Kartheek Vs.  National Testing Agency and Ors.  Hon'ble Court observed the decision to conduct re-test to be fair, reasonable & justified.

The Re-test was held on 23/6/24 after the withdrawal of grace marks to such candidates. As per the final  result  declared  on  30.6.24,  61  candidates  have  scored  720/720  marks,  thus  excluding  6 candidates from the initial number of 67.

(g) to (i)  NTA conducted the UGC-NET June 2024 Examination in OMR (pen and paper) mode on 18th June, 2024 in two shifts across different cities of the country. On 19th June, 2024, the University Grants  Commission (UGC)  received  certain  inputs  on  the  examination  from  National  Cyber  Crime Threat Analytics Unit of Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) under the Ministry of Home Affairs. These inputs prima-facie indicated that the integrity of the aforesaid examination may have been compromised.

To ensure the highest level of transparency and sanctity of the examination process, the Ministry of Education,  decided  that  the  UGC-NET  June  2024  Examination  be  cancelled.  The  matter  was entrusted      to  CBI  for  thorough  investigation.    NTA  has  informed  that  the  UGC-NET  June  2024 Examination shall now be conducted between 21st August, 2024 and 4th September, 2024 in C.B.T. mode.

As a deterrence to unfair means in public examinations, the Central Government has enacted the Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act 2024. This Act has come into force w.e.f. 21st June, 2024 and Rules have also been notified thereunder on 23rd June, 2024.

*******