The counselling process for the 2024 undergraduate National Eligibility-Cum-Entrance Test, through which authorities guide students on choosing colleges and universities, has been deferred until further notice, The Indian Express reported on Saturday, quoting unidentified officials.
The counselling process for the entrance test, which is conducted by the National Testing Agency for admissions to undergraduate medical courses, was slated to begin on July 6. Last month, the Supreme Court had refused to stay the exercise.
After the results of this year’s examination were announced on June 4, allegations of question paper leaks and other irregularities came to light. The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear a batch of petitions seeking directions in the matter, including on the question of a re-examination, on July 8.
On the delay in the counselling exercise, unidentified officials told PTI that the process of issuing letters of permission to certain medical colleges was still underway and that new seats would be added.
“The date of counselling will be announced once the exercise gets over to ensure seats of the new colleges can be taken up in the first round itself,” the officials said. The counselling may begin later this month, they added.
On Friday, the Union Ministry of Education told the Supreme Court that it would be irrational to scrap the entire 2024 NEET-UG examination in the absence of any proof of a large-scale breach of confidentiality.
In an affidavit, the ministry said that the interests of students who appeared for the examination and did not resort to unfair means should not be jeopardised.
The affidavit submitted on Friday came two days after 56 students from Gujarat moved the court to stop any move to conduct a re-examination.
The undergraduate National Eligibility-Cum-Entrance Test was held at 4,750 centres on May 5. Around 24 lakh candidates took the test.
After the results were announced on June 4, several aspirants alleged that an inflation of marks had led to 67 candidates securing the top rank, including six from the same examination centre. Some reports also alleged that at some centres, the question paper was leaked before the examination.
In June, the Centre told the Supreme Court that the grace marks given to 1,563 students in the examination will be cancelled. Those candidates were given the choice to either appear for a re-examination or retain their original scores, which would exclude the compensatory marks that had been given to them.
Getting worse by the day: Congress
The controversy surrounding the NEET-UG examination is getting worse by the day, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said on Saturday on the counselling process being postponed.
“The non-biological PM [Narendra Modi] and his biological Education Minister [Dharmendra Pradhan] are adding further proof to their demonstrated incompetence and insensitivity,” Ramesh said on social media. “The future of lakhs of our youth is simply unsafe in their hands.”
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!