NEET (UG) paper leak: SC stays proceedings pending before various High Courts

New Delhi, June 20: The Supreme Court on Thursday stayed the proceedings pending before various High Courts of the country pertaining to the alleged NEET (UG) paper leak. Issuing a notice on transfer petitions filed by the National Testing Agency (NTA), a Vacation Bench presided over by Justice Vikram Nath ordered a stay on proceedings pending before different High Courts till the next date of listing.

During the course of hearing, the counsel representing NTA submitted before the Bench, also comprising Justice SVN Bhatti that High Courts were dealing with the pleas alleging various irregularities in NEET (UG) exam despite issuance of notice by the apex court in a similar transfer petition last week. After hearing the submission, the top court ordered, “Issue notice returnable on 8th July, 2024. In the meantime, further proceedings before the High Court shall remain stayed.”

The batch of transfer petitions, along with other pleas seeking cancellation of the exam, will be heard next on July 8. Earlier on June 14, the Supreme Court had issued notice on NTA’s plea seeking transfer of a petition pending before the Delhi High Court to the apex court. Agreeing to examine NTA’s transfer plea, the top court had sought the response of the candidate who had instituted a writ petition before the Delhi HC alleging a paper leak in the NEET (UG) exam.

The issue relating to the grant of grace marks in the NEET (UG) exam has already been closed by the Supreme Court after the NTA submitted the scorecards of 1,563 candidates, who were awarded compensatory marks on account of the loss of time, had been withdrawn and cancelled. These candidates were given an option to appear in a re-test to be held on June 23 or appear in counselling on the basis of actual marks obtained in the exam without normalisation.