The disproportionate concentration of toppers from a single coaching centre raises serious doubts
Team Clarion
NEW DELHI – The Students Islamic Organisation of India (SIO) has filed a PIL in the Supreme Court seeking a re-examination of NEET and a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into the entire process conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA).
At a press conference at the Press Club here on Monday, the SIO addressed the numerous discrepancies and irregularities observed in the NEET 2024 examination process.
Dr. Roshan Mohiddin, National Secretary of SIO, expressed concerns over the NTA’s conduct and the series of events starting with the NTA notification. He said: “The abrupt reopening of the registration notification on April 9th, even after a 15-day extension period, raised concerns about discrepancies. Moreover, the recent incidents of paper leaks in Bihar and malpractices in Gujarat and Noida resulting in arrests have further eroded trust in the integrity of the examination.”
He also questioned the allocation of grace marks and said the whole episode calls for transparency and accountability. “While the NTA claimed to have awarded these marks for ‘loss of time’, they failed to document or transparently communicate the criteria and methodology for determining this,” he said.
Abdullah Faiz, National Secretary of SIO, addressed the significantly lower qualification scores for general category students in the current year. He also highlighted the fact that reports have surfaced indicating an unprecedented number of perfect scores, with eight out of the top 67 students coming from the same centre in Haryana. This disproportionate concentration of toppers from a single centre raises serious doubts about the transparency and fairness of the examination process, he said.
Additionally, he emphasised the impact on students’ mental health throughout the entire process. The recent suicide of a girl following the release of the results tragically highlighted this anguish. He also reaffirmed that SIO stands in solidarity with the affected students and their families as they seek justice and resolution of these critical issues.