New Delhi: Amid the social media uproar questioning the NEET UG 2024 results and the National Testing Agency's (NTA) clarification that candidates were awarded grace marks, a Right to Information (RTI) application has been filed seeking further clarity from the NTA.

Activist Dr. Vivek Pandey filed the RTI today, seeking detailed information from the NTA about the total number of students who received grace marks in NEET UG 2024. He also requested details on the rules and criteria used to allocate these grace marks to the aspirants.

Additionally, Dr. Pandey inquired about the students who applied for grace marks in the NEET 2024 exam and sought information on any cases filed against the NTA demanding grace marks.

The NTA released the NEET scorecard on Tuesday, June 4, 2024. A record 24.06 lakh candidates registered for NEET this year, with a passing percentage of 56.2 percent, almost the same as last year.

Medicaljagat had earlier reported that the results of NEET-UG 2024 shocked many, as a total of 67 candidates secured All India Rank 1 in the examination. Moreover, reports of a large number of students securing full marks, i.e., 720 marks, in the exam led to allegations of a NEET paper leak scam circulating on social media platforms.

Several X (formerly Twitter) users, including doctors and health activists, referred to the NEET marking pattern and questioned how some candidates secured 718 or 719 marks in the exam. According to the NEET marking scheme, every candidate is awarded 4 marks for each correct answer, and 1 mark is deducted for each wrong answer. Therefore, after the full marks of 720, candidates can only secure 716 marks if they leave one answer unattempted. Similarly, a candidate would get 715 marks if they gave one wrong answer.

Some social media users, including doctors and activists, also questioned how eight students from the same center managed to secure 720 marks in the examination.

Candidates Were Awarded Grace Marks, NTA Clarifies

Amid all these allegations, the NTA, the authority in charge of conducting the NEET exam, has clarified that candidates could score 718 or 719 marks this year because they were awarded grace marks.

"NTA received a few representations and court cases from NEET (UG) 2024 candidates raising concerns about the loss of time during the examination on May 5, 2024. These cases and representations were considered by the NTA, and the normalization formula, devised and adopted by the Hon'ble Apex Court in its judgment dated June 13, 2018, was implemented to address the loss of time faced by the candidates of NEET (UG) 2024," the NTA mentioned in its clarification issued yesterday.

"The loss of examination time was ascertained, and such candidates were compensated with grace marks. Therefore, candidates' marks can be 718 or 719," it further added.

RTI Filed Seeking Clarity Regarding NTA Grace Marks Policy

However, several people, including doctors and health activists, have expressed doubts regarding the National Testing Agency's (NTA) clarification. They have demanded clarity on the process through which grace marks were awarded to the candidates.

Raising the issue, activist Dr. Vivek Pandey has now filed an RTI application before the NTA. In his application, filed under the provisions of the RTI Act 2005, he stated, "NTA received a few representations and court cases from NEET UG 2024 candidates raising concerns about the loss of time during the conduct of the examination on May 5, 2024. These cases and representations were considered by NTA, and the normalization formula, devised and adopted by the Hon'ble Apex Court in its judgment dated June 13, 2018, was implemented to address the loss of time faced by the candidates of NEET UG 2024. The loss of examination time was ascertained, and such candidates were compensated with grace marks. Therefore, candidates' marks can be 718 or 719."

He sought the following details from NTA, the authority in charge of conducting the NEET UG examination:

1. The total number of students who received grace marks in NEET 2024.
2. The criteria and rules applied to allocating grace marks to NEET 2024 aspirants.

Commenting on the matter, Dr. Pandey told Medical Dialogues, "In the NEET exam, there is a fluctuation of more than 1000 ranks on just one mark. There hasn't been any mention of normalization or grace marks. It's a matter of investigation on what basis students have been given grace without rules. Secondly, the emergence of so many toppers from one center raises questions about the fairness of the exam. We have never seen so many toppers coming from one center before."

"The government should conduct a thorough investigation into this matter. If the exam paper leak is true, it should be canceled," he further added.

Plea before the Supreme Court:
Meanwhile, a new plea has been filed before the Supreme Court by a group of candidates who sought a fresh NEET-UG 2024 exam. NTA has also been made a party in the plea before the Supreme Court. Filed by Shivangi Mishra and others, the pleas raised the issue of paper leaks and the sanctity of the test while seeking a direction for conducting a fresh examination.

It has been alleged in the plea that the NEET-UG test held on May 5 was riddled with malpractices as various instances of paper leaks came to the knowledge of the petitioners.

The alleged paper leak of the NEET was violative of Article 14 (right to equality) under the Constitution, as it gave an undue advantage to some candidates over others who chose to attempt the examination in a fair manner. The plea, which was filed on June 1 through lawyer Usha Nandini V, may be listed before a vacation bench this week.