NEET-UG 2024 row: 'Gave wrong question paper; no extra time to compensate,' parents from a centre in Haryana's Bahadurgarh complain

In the aftermath of the NEET-UG 2024 examinations, controversies have surfaced regarding the fairness and accuracy of the assessment process. The National Testing Agency (NTA) released the results on June 4, amidst claims and petitions challenging various aspects of the examination.

This year's NEET-UG 2024 examinations have been marred by revelations of administrative errors and subsequent controversies. One interesting case has now emerged from the Hardayal Public School in Bahadurgarh, Haryana. This was one of the centres which received grace marks for a loss of time in the exam.

An exclusive conversation with a parent of a student from this centre has shed light on significant discrepancies that have raised serious questions about the fairness and integrity of the exam process.

Father of NEET aspirant Ritesh, Anil Ahlawat spoke to Business Today, revealing crucial details of the problems had occurred at the Hardayal Public School, when the NEET-UG 2024 examination was being conducted at the centre on May 5. 

At the heart of the issue was the mishandling of question papers. According to Mr Ahlawat, students at the Bahadurgarh centre were initially provided with two sets of papers: QRST and MNOP. The QRST code was intended as the primary paper, while MNOP served as a backup. However, due to an administrative oversight, the backup paper (MNOP) was distributed to students instead of the designated QRST paper.

"The school first handed out two sets of paper to the children. One is the QRST code, which was given to us earlier, and one is the MNOP, which is kept for backup," explained the parent. This error resulted in students unknowingly attempting the backup paper, which was not the intended paper for assessment.

"Half an hour into the examination, the authorities realised that they had given the wrong question paper to the students. And instead of taking back the back-up question paper, they took back the actual primary set of question paper. This resulted in a loss of time. However the paper ended at the designated time and the students didn't get time to compensate for the time lost due to confusion created by the administration," Mr Ahlawat explained. 

The consequences of this mistake were profound. Students completed the MNOP paper under the impression it was their primary exam paper.  The parents and students raised immediate concerns about fairness and equality in assessment, prompting legal action.

"We filed a petition in the Delhi High Court on this matter. We argued that the incorrect paper distribution violated the principles of equality under Section 14 of the Indian Constitution," the parent elaborated. The legal petition sought either a reevaluation or a re-examination for affected students, citing the fundamental right to a fair examination process.

Further complicating matters, a similar issue occurred at a centre in Sawai Madhavpur, Rajasthan, where students unknowingly received question papers meant for a different medium of instruction. However, Mr Anil told that the administration at this centre did correct its mistake and re-conducted the paper at 6 PM on the same day.

"On 5th May, all the students had already given their exam by 5:20. And you are getting the same paper rewritten in the city at a later time. So, technically, the paper has been leaked.'

This mishap, combined with discrepancies in paper distribution timings, fuelled claims of a leaked exam paper, although the NTA has vehemently denied any such allegations.

The controversy deepened with reports of students receiving grace marks to compensate for lost time during the exam. These adjustments were part of the NTA's efforts to rectify discrepancies encountered by candidates across various centres.

In response to these developments, several petitions have been filed in courts nationwide, seeking a fair resolution and accountability from the NTA. These legal challenges follow concerns raised over the unexpected uniformity in high scores, including 67 candidates achieving a perfect 720 out of 720 marks, raising questions about the exam's integrity and fairness.

Now, according to the latest decision by the government, the scorecards of all the students who were provided the grace marks, have been cancelled. These candidates now have an option to sit for a re-test on June 23, or their new scorecards will be regenerated on the basis of the new marking scheme.