NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court has recently dismissed a petition seeking a review of its earlier verdict on the NEET-UG 2024 examination. The review petition was filed by Kajal Kumari, who requested the court to reconsider its decision to not hold a fresh exam following alleged malpractices.
The Dismissal of the Review Petition
A three-judge bench, led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) D.Y. Chandrachud, along with Justices J.B. Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, dismissed the review petition on October 22. The bench observed that there was "no error apparent on the face of the record" and stated that no case for a review had been established.
“There is no error apparent on the face of the record. No case for review under Order XLVII Rule 1 of the Supreme Court Rules 2013 has been established. The review petition is, therefore, dismissed,” the bench noted in its order.
Background of the Petition
Kajal Kumari, the petitioner, had moved the Supreme Court seeking a review of its earlier order dated August 2, in which the court had rejected pleas for a fresh NEET-UG 2024 exam. The petitioners had argued that there were malpractices and irregularities in the exam that warranted a retake. However, the court ruled that there was no "systemic breach" of the exam's integrity.
The August 2 verdict had stated, "There was no sufficient material on record at present to indicate a systemic leak or malpractice compromising the integrity of the examination and there was no systemic breach to cancel the exam."
Supreme Court’s Directions on NEET-UG Exam
Despite dismissing the calls for a re-test, the Supreme Court had issued detailed directions for improving the NEET-UG examination process. In its August ruling, the court outlined a series of measures to ensure that the exam remains unbiased, transparent, and secure in the future. These steps included:
1. Setting up an evaluation committee.
2. Creating a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for managing the exam process, including the handling and storage of question papers.
3. Reviewing the process of assigning exam centres.
4. Enhancing identity checks at various stages of the examination.
5. Implementing CCTV monitoring at exam centres.
6. Using secure logistics providers to prevent tampering with question papers.
7. Establishing a robust grievance redressal mechanism.
The court also recommended using closed vehicles with real-time locks for transporting exam materials instead of open e-rickshaws, adding that this would help ensure the security of the exam papers..
Expert Committee and Future Steps
The court expanded the scope of the K. Radhakrishnan expert committee, which was already constituted to examine the NEET-UG paper leak and other irregularities. The committee was directed to implement the seven measures outlined by the court.
The Supreme Court also noted that if students have grievances unrelated to the issues addressed in the judgment, they may approach the respective High Courts for redressal.
Previous Rulings on NEET-UG 2024
This decision follows the Supreme Court's July 23 order, which had rejected requests for a re-test of the NEET-UG 2024 examination. The court had stated at the time that there was no data to suggest a "systemic breach" or that the "sanctity" of the exam was compromised, despite two localised leaks of the question papers in Patna and Hazaribagh.
In both its July and August rulings, the court had emphasized that there was insufficient evidence to annul the exam, while taking steps to strengthen the examination process and prevent future irregularities