Further, the Supreme Court directed the National Testing Agency (NTA) to release the revised merit list. This list will be based on IIT Delhi’s expert committee recommendations on the physics question that not only has been at the centre of confusion and debate but will also impact the marks and rankings of many.
The Apex Court highlighted 4 crucial points in yesterday’s hearing:
- Leak Confirmed at Two Locations: The Supreme Court confirmed that the NEET UG 2024 paper leak occurred in Patna and Hazaribagh.
- CBI Investigation to Proceed: The court also stated that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) will continue its investigation into the paper leaks to uncover further details.
- No change in admission process: The court allowed counseling and other admission processes to continue as scheduled. It also indicated that guidelines will be provided for the future conduct of examinations to address and prevent similar issues.
- Final merit list to be released: As already mentioned, the Apex Court also directed the National Testing Agency (NTA) to revise its NEET UG merit list by treating the answer suggested by the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi’s three-member expert panel to a controversial physics question as the correct one, PTI reported.
NEET UG Physics question: What’s the correct answer?
In the NEET UG 2024 examination, under the Physics section, there was a question that confused several students. The NEET question revolved around two statements about atoms:
- Atoms are electrically neutral as they contain an equal number of positive and negative charges.
- Atoms of each element are stable and emit their characteristic spectrum.
Students had to choose the most appropriate answer from the combinations below:
(1) Statement I is incorrect but Statement II is correct.
2) Both Statement I and Statement II are correct.
(3) Both Statement I and Statement II are incorrect.
(4) Statement I is correct but Statement II is incorrect.
Media reports suggest that over 4 lakh students selected option 2 based on the older NCERT textbook, while over 9 lakh chose option 4 based on the latest NCERT textbook. The NTA had initially treated options 2 and 4 as correct answers to the physics question and granted four marks to examinees who selected either of these options.
However, the petitioners said that NTA cannot mark both the answers as the correct option, given that NEET instructions specified candidates to follow the latest NCERT edition. This discrepancy led NTA to grant grace marks in the much-debated Physics question that led to a perfect score for 44 students.
On the same, CJI pointed out that by awarding the grace marks, NTA contradicted its own rule. However, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, defending NTA’s decision, said that many students might have used older textbooks by borrowing from their siblings.
In order to clear the air around this physics question, the Supreme Court had tasked the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi with solving the NEET UG 2024 physics question. During its July 22 hearing, the court instructed the director of IIT Delhi to appoint three top professors to resolve the question within 24 hours.
During the hearing of July 23, the Chief Justice of India revealed that, after initial confusion where both options 2 and 4 were considered correct, IIT Delhi’s expert committee has concluded that option 4 is the correct answer. This decision resolves any ambiguity, affirming option 4 as the definitive answer to the questioned item.
Candidates whose answers matched the one provided by the three-panel experts will receive four marks, while those who selected the other option will lose five marks. This adjustment will lead to a reshuffle among over four lakh NEET UG aspirants, according to PTI reports.
NEET UG revised result: Reshuffling of marks and ranks
The NTA is now expected to release the revised merit list based on the Supreme Court’s decision. The decision is set to impact around 4 lakh students, including 44 students who achieved a perfect score of 720, according to a media report.
According to media reports, a total of 44 students had climbed to the top after receiving grace marks for the incorrect answer to the confusing physics question. It is anticipated that this development will impact 44 candidates, who might face a drop in their ranks. As a result, these 44 applicants are expected to be adjusted in the ranks, with their score falling to 715 out of 720.
Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Supreme Court’s Verdict
On Tuesday, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan hailed the Apex Court’s decision, stating that the truth has prevailed. He further mentioned that the NTA will release the final results of the medical examination within two days, as reported by PTI.
During the press conference, the education minister said, “Satyamev Jayate”, while welcoming the Supreme Court’s decision. He added that the Centre has been saying there was no large-sclare leak and the Supreme Court has upheld that. He added that the government has zero tolerance for any kind of breach and the sanctity of exams is “supreme for us”, as reported by PTI.
Further, he said that the committee has gathered expert opinions and will review various models, with plans to submit a comprehensive report soon.
The education minister also took to the official X (formally Twitter) account and expressed his views on the NEET verdict. He tweeted, “Today’s verdict on NEET-UG will put speculations to rest and provide relief to lakhs of hard working and honest students. Grateful to Hon’ble Supreme Court for the landmark verdict that upholds the interest of students.