The Students Islamic Organization of India (SIO) held a press conference on Monday addressing the numerous discrepancies and irregularities observed in the NEET (UG) 2024 examination process at the Press Club of India in New Delhi. Considering these issues, SIO has filed a PIL in the Supreme Court of India, seeking justice by halting the counselling of NEET and a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into the entire process conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA).

Dr. Roshan Mohiddin, National Secretary of SIO, addressed concerns about the NTA’s conduct and the series of events starting with the NTA notification. The abrupt reopening of the registration notification on April 9th, even after a 15-day extension period, raised concerns about discrepancies. Moreover, the recent incidents of paper leaks in Bihar and malpractices in Gujarat and Noida resulting in arrests have further eroded trust in the integrity of the examination.

Moreover, the allocation of grace marks raises profound concerns regarding transparency and accountability. While the NTA claimed to have awarded these marks for ‘loss of time’, they failed to document or transparently communicate the criteria and methodology for determining this ‘loss of time’. Additionally, their citation on Twitter, referencing a 2018 Supreme Court ruling about CLAT exams without providing any information in the brochure, only adds to the scepticism surrounding the entire process. This post-facto justification appears to be an attempt to conceal significant errors or manipulations in the examination process. However, the logic behind the allocation of grace marks ranging from -20 to 720 remains obscure. The NTA’s mishandling of the grace mark allotment for 1,600 candidates without prior notification underscores its questionable intentions. Furthermore, the formation of a high-level committee without disclosing the members’ identities raises serious concerns about impartiality and integrity.

Abdullah Faiz, National Secretary of SIO, addressed the significantly lower qualification scores for general category students this year. He also highlighted the fact that reports have surfaced indicating an unprecedented number of perfect scores, with eight out of the top 67 students coming from the same centre in Haryana. This disproportionate concentration of toppers in a single centre raises serious doubts about the transparency and fairness of the examination process.

Additionally, he emphasized the impact on students’ mental health throughout the entire process. The recent suicide of a girl following the release of the results tragically highlighted this anguish. He also reaffirmed that SIO stands in solidarity with the affected students and their families as they seek justice and resolution to these critical issues.