The Supreme Court on Monday again extended by two weeks the time granted to the Centre's high level committee to suggest effective measures for conducting transparent, smooth and fair conduct of exam by National Testing Agency (NTA).
Earlier, the top court had fixed September 30 as the deadline for the report. However, the deadline was extended in September after the Centre sought three weeks additional time from the stipulated date of September 30 to submit the report by the panel headed by Dr K Radhakrishnan, former Chairman, ISRO.
The high-level committee was formed after the Supreme Court heard the petitions alleging irregularities in the NEET UG-2024 conducted by the NTA on May 5.
The high level central panel was tasked to review the organisational structure and functioning of the NTA.
Tasked with making recommendations on reforms in the examination process, improving data security protocols, and enhancing the structure and functioning of the NTA, the high-level committee was initially supposed to submit the report within two months. Now, the report is likely to come after two weeks.
The primary focus of the panel is to reform the examination process by analysing the entire examination process to suggest measures for improving the efficiency of the system and preventing any possible breaches.
The panel was asked to conduct a thorough review of the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and protocols of the NTA and recommend measures to strengthen these procedures and ensuring compliance at every level through a robust monitoring mechanism.
The seven-member panel was formed by the education ministry to ensure transparent, smooth, and fair conduct of examinations by the National Testing Agency (NTA).
This came after, the Supreme Court in July refused to order the re-test in NEET-UG exams saying that a re-examination cannot not be justified based on the material available on record. The top court said that the fact that a paper leak in NEET-UG Exam took place at Hazaribagh and Patna is not in dispute. The top court had directed Centre to form a high level committee to reform NTA.
CJI DY Chandrachud while dictating order said that the court realises that directing a fresh NEET-UG for the present year would be replete with serious consequences which will be for over 24 lakh students who appeared in this exam and cause disruption of admission schedule.
He further added that a re-test will also have a cascading effect on the course of medical education, impact on availability of qualified medical professionals in the future and seriously disadvantageous for the marginalised group for whom reservation was made in allocation of seats.
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