The Free Press Journal

NEET retest to depend on extent of leak: SC

TAKING BULL BY THE HORNS | Court sets parameters for determinin­g leak, seeks details by July 10

There is no doubt that the National Eligibilit­y cum Entrance Test (Undergradu­ate) exam (NEET ) held on May 5 was compromise­d by question paper leak, the Supreme Court said on Monday, reports Bar and Bench.

However, the Bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachu­d and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra said it would have to determine to what extent the exam was compromise­d to decide whether a retest would be needed or not.

"The fact that the sanctity of the exam has been compromise­d is beyond doubt. Now, what is the consequenc­e of that leak would depend on the nature of that leak. If it is not extensive, then there is no cancellati­on. Before we order a retest, we must be careful. We are dealing with the careers of 23 lakh students," the CJI remarked. In any case, the court said it was important to acknowledg­e that there were irregulari­ties that took place during the exam this year. "Let us not be in self-denial. Self-denial is only adding to the problem," the CJI said.

The court also said that if the leak was on social media, then it would have been very widespread. Hence, it set out the following parameters on the basis of which it would decide whether a retest would be needed or not.

- One, whether the alleged breach took place at the systemic level;

-Two, whether the breach is of a nature which affects the integrity of the entire exam process; and

- Three, whether it is possible to segregate the beneficiar­ies of the fraud from the untainted students.

If the breach of the exam's sanctity is widespread and if it is not possible to segregate tainted and untainted candidates, a retest may be ordered, the court said.

But if beneficiar­ies are identified and limited, then a retest won't be needed, the court made it clear.

Hence, the following details were sought from the National Testing Agency (NTA) which conducted the exam.

When did the leak first take place?

What was the manner in which the question papers leaked were disseminat­ed?

What was the time duration between the leak and the exam on May 5?