NEET-UG Counselling Deferred Amidst Malpractice Allegations. While the Supreme Court had scheduled the counselling process to begin on July 6, 2024, the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) has yet to release a detailed notification and schedule.

The NEET-UG exam, conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) for admissions to MBBS, BDS, AYUSH, and other related courses, has been at the center of controversy. Allegations of large-scale malpractices, including question paper leaks and impersonation, have led to protests by students and political parties. The test was held on May 5, and although results were expected on June 14, they were announced on June 4 due to the early completion of answer sheet evaluations.

An unprecedented 67 students scored a perfect 720, with six of these top scorers coming from a single center in Faridabad, Haryana, raising suspicions of irregularities. Additionally, 1,563 candidates who were awarded grace marks were asked to retake the exam, but 750 of them did not appear.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has taken over the probe into the alleged paper leak, resulting in the arrest of six individuals, including key conspirator Aman Singh.

On Friday, the Union government filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court opposing a re-conduct of the NEET-UG 2024 exam, arguing that it would disrupt the academic calendar and is unnecessary due to the lack of widespread evidence of malpractice. The NTA also filed a separate affidavit, stating that cancelling the exam would be counterproductive and jeopardize the career prospects of meritorious students. They contended that the instances of malpractice were “minuscule”, “sporadic”, and “scattered,” and that strict actions were being taken against those involved.

The deferment of the NEET-UG counselling has added to the uncertainty for thousands of aspiring medical students awaiting clarity on their admissions.