Supreme Court Starts hearing on petition to cancel exam and postpone counselling

The National Testing Agency (NTA) faces scrutiny following an alleged paper leak in the NEET-UG exam and the cancellation of the UGC NET exam on June 19, prompted by concerns raised by the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre regarding the NET exam's integrity.

These issues have ignited nationwide protests, with opposition leaders, student groups, and students demanding justice and strict punishment for those responsible. During demonstrations, over two dozen students from various universities were arrested near the Ministry of Education and Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s residence in central Delhi.

Amidst ongoing legal battles in the Supreme Court and other high courts, the Congress party has called for a nationwide protest, demanding Pradhan's resignation. NEET-UG, conducted by the NTA, is crucial for admissions to MBBS, BDS, AYUSH, and related courses in government and private institutions across India.

The Supreme Court on Thursday sought responses from the Centre, NTA, and others on petitions calling for the scrapping of NEET-UG 2024 and a court-monitored probe into the alleged irregularities. The apex court also stayed proceedings on similar cases in various high courts but clarified that the counselling process would continue uninterrupted.