Scores of NEET aspirants, accompanied by local residents, took to the streets in the Lanka area of Varanasi on Saturday, protesting against alleged irregularities in the results of the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (UG) 2024. The demonstrators, holding placards and chanting slogans such as “We Want Justice” and “All Eyes on NEET,” demanded a re-examination and corrective action from the National Testing Agency (NTA).
Gathering near the main gate of Banaras Hindu University (BHU), the protestors expressed their dissatisfaction with the integrity of the NTA and called for a re-evaluation of the NEET UG exam. The protest lasted for about an hour before police intervened to pacify the crowd, leading to the dispersal of the protestors.
“This year, around 24 lakh students appeared for the NEET exam, of which about 13 lakh passed,” one of the aspirants explained. “It’s unprecedented that 67 students secured rank-1, and eight students from a single center scored 720 out of 720 marks.” The aspirants have threatened to continue their protests if their demands are not addressed promptly.
The controversy surrounding NEET UG 2024 includes various issues such as the compensation of 1,563 students for exam time loss, the distribution of grace marks, and an increase in cut-offs and average scores. The NTA has firmly denied any allegations of a paper leak and has upheld the integrity of the exam. However, concerns persist over score bunching and rank discrepancies.
A record 67 candidates achieved a perfect score of 720 in NEET-UG 2024, conducted by the NTA. An official highlighted a discrepancy involving a question from the NCERT textbook, which has added to the debate over the fairness of the exam.
The discontent among students has led to court petitions, with many questioning the NTA’s handling of the exam. The situation has been further exacerbated by reports of unusual patterns in the results, including the perfect scores achieved by multiple students at a single center.
Tragically, the stress and pressure of the exam have also had severe consequences. An 18-year-old girl from Madhya Pradesh, Bagisha Tiwari, took her own life in Kota after performing poorly in the NEET UG exam. She had been living in a multi-storey building in the Rewa district, and her death has added a poignant and urgent dimension to the calls for reform and investigation into the examination process.
The NTA’s swift release of the NEET UG results, coinciding with the 2024 general election results, has only heightened scrutiny and suspicion among students and parents. The agency’s actions, including the re-examination at a center in Rajasthan due to irregularities and the arrests linked to a purported leak in Bihar, have not quelled concerns.
As protests continue and legal challenges mount, the demand for transparency and accountability in the NEET UG 2024 exam process remains strong. The aspirants and their supporters are determined to see their grievances addressed, ensuring that the integrity of one of India’s most crucial entrance exams is upheld.
If you liked this article, then do not forget to share it and leave a comment in the comment section to share your thoughts and feedback.
