63 cases of use of unfair means, but no paper leak in NEET-UG: officials

NTA reports 63 NEET-UG students using unfair means, no paper leak, 23 debarred, 40 results withheld.

Sixty-three cases of students using unfair means were reported in NEET-UG out of whom 23 have been debarred for varying periods, National Testing Agency (NTA) officials said on June 12, but reiterated that there has been no paper leak and the sanctity of the medical entrance examination has not been compromised.

The result of the remaining 40 candidates who were found using unfair means have been withheld, NTA Director General Subodh Kumar Singh said.

"A committee was constituted consisting of three eminent experts in the field of examination and academics to put forward different types of cases reported such as impersonation, cheating and tampering with OMR sheet," Mr. Singh said.

"On the recommendations of the panel, 12 candidates were debarred from taking the exam for three years, nine candidates debarred for two years and two candidate for one year each. The result of remaining candidates has been withheld. The panel had given recommendations for each case," he said, adding that the total number of cases of usage of unfair means was 63.

The agency is under criticism amid allegations of irregularities and inflation of marks in the crucial medical entrance exam.

The matter has also reached the top court, which said on Tuesday that the sanctity of the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test-Undergraduate (NEET-UG), 2024 has been affected.

The Union Ministry of Education had last week set up a four-member panel to review the grace marks awarded to 1,563 students to compensate them for loss of time due to delay in starting the examination at certain centres.