Postponed! NEET 2024 Counseling Likely To Begin At Month End, Schedule Not Finalized Yet: Report

New Delhi: The National Eligibility-Entrance Test Undergraduate (NEET UG) 2024 counseling, initially scheduled to commence today, July 6, 2024, has been deferred until further notice.

This follows the Supreme Court's earlier denial of postponement for NEET UG 2024 counseling, despite pleas alleging paper leaks and calls for a re-conduction of the examination. The counseling session was anticipated to begin on July 6, although the Medical Counseling Committee had not yet released a detailed notification and schedule for it.

According to sources, the counseling for admission to undergraduate medical courses has been postponed due to the ongoing issuance of permission letters to some medical colleges and the potential addition of new seats to the seat matrix.

An official source informed PTI, "The date of counseling will be announced once the exercise of issuing letters of permission to new colleges is completed, ensuring that these seats can be included in the first round itself." They indicated that counseling may commence later this month.

Meanwhile, an official source speaking to Education Times mentioned that the counseling schedule for NEET UG 2024 has not yet been finalized, thus indicating that it may not start on July 6, 2024.

The Supreme Court is set to hear multiple NEET-related pleas on Monday, July 8, 2024. The National Testing Agency (NTA), responsible for conducting NEET-UG for admissions to MBBS, BDS, AYUSH, and other courses, along with the Union education ministry, has been under scrutiny due to alleged malpractices such as question paper leaks and impersonation during the test held on May 5.

Recent developments have revealed significant issues surrounding the NEET-UG 2024 examination. Approximately 13 individuals, including four examinees and their family members, were arrested in Bihar for their alleged involvement in a paper leak scandal. According to Patna police sources, NEET-UG question papers with answers were allegedly provided to about 20 aspirants a day before the exam date on May 5, 2024.

Following this revelation, the Economic Offences Unit (EOU) of Bihar Police, which took over the investigation, disclosed that brokers involved in the scam charged medical aspirants between Rs 30 lakh and Rs 50 lakh each for providing the NEET UG 2024 question paper in advance.

Amidst these developments, multiple pleas were filed before the Supreme Court and various High Courts, some of which demanded the cancellation of the NEET UG 2024 exam and advocated for a retest.

In response to the situation, the National Testing Agency (NTA) decided to withdraw the grace marks awarded to 1,563 candidates and offered an optional retest for those affected. Candidates who chose not to opt for the retest were allowed to retain their original marks without the grace marks.

The matter has now been taken up by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) following the Central Government's decision on June 22, 2024, to investigate the alleged irregularities in the NEET UG 2024 examination.

Earlier, despite the controversy, the Supreme Court declined to postpone the counseling and seat allotment process scheduled to begin on July 6, 2024. However, the Court indicated that admissions would be subject to the final outcome of the petitions. The Supreme Court also expressed serious concerns about the alleged discrepancies in the conduct of the NEET UG 2024 exam, emphasizing that even the slightest negligence would be thoroughly investigated, given the effort invested by candidates in this prestigious examination.