NEET-UG 2024: 'My Child Worked Hard & Feels Cheated, a Re-Evaluation Is Needed'

The NEET-UG 2024 exam has stirred a controversy after the results were declared on 4 June.

(Illustration by The Quint/Aroop Mishra)

Video Producer: Maaz Hasan

The NEET-UG 2024 (National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test Undergraduate) result, which was declared on 4 June, has disheartened and aggrieved us, to say the least.

Despite scoring as high as 671 out of the total 720 marks, my daughter didn't get a good rank, and she's probably not going to get any college worth her marks.

The series of events surrounding the NEET-UG 2024 exam has left us deeply concerned about the fairness and transparency of the exam's conducting process by the NTA (National Testing Agency). We believe that a thorough investigation is necessary to address these concerns.

Questions have been raised over the handling of the NEET UG exam by the NTA.

(Graphic by The Quint/Kamran Akhtar)

The controversy surrounding the exam and its results makes us feel cheated. If we compare my daughter's 671 marks with previous years' rankings, her rank should be around 3,000. But her rank this year is around 13,000. This is hyperinflation. 

An increase of 10,000 in the rank list is beyond our understanding. The marks are fine, which we cross-checked with the answer key, but the rank is inflated way too much.

Two candidates scored 719 and 718 marks with AIR 68 and 69, respectively, which is not mathematically possible according to the medical exam's marking scheme. 

As per the marking scheme, a candidate gets four marks for a correct answer and loses one mark for a wrong one. No mark is awarded if the candidate does not attempt a question. 

When students and teachers raised this question, the NTA said grace marks were awarded to some students, resulting in scores of 718-719. When the NTA was asked how many students were given grace marks, they said that around 1,563 candidates had been awarded grace marks.

Another Govt Agency Should Take Over

We feel that the NTA's evaluation process is not transparent, and we have lost faith in it. We want another agency, like CBSE or any other government agency, to take up the matter.

We propose that the NTA hand over all the OMR (Optical Mark Recognition) sheets to another evaluating agency. This agency, with its expertise, can rescan the OMR sheets and publish the proper marks and rankings, offering a potential solution to the current situation.

Supreme Court Hearing The Matter

Two days after the NEET exam on 5 May, Bihar Police arrested 13 people in connection with allegations of a paper leak. However, on 8 June, NTA Director General Subodh Kumar said, "We analysed our system, and there was no paper leak."

On 11 June, the Supreme Court notified the centre and NTA over a petition amid allegations of a paper leak. The court said that admissions counselling will continue, while different sets of petitions are being heard.

On 13 June, the NTA informed the Supreme Court that the committee formed to review grace marks has decided to cancel the grace marks for 1,563 students. These students will be given the option to retake the test. The exams will be held on 23 June, and the results will be released before 30 June.

'In The Whole Process, We Feel Vindicated'

We cannot expect a good medical college for our children. We will have to compromise with a state medical college or explore options in private medical colleges, which will dig deep into our pockets. 

We stand nowhere. We are feeling frustrated and depressed. This has not been an easy journey. This not only puts pressure on the child but on the family, too. 

We have been involved with her for these two years, helping her prepare and deal with her emotionally. After all that she has put in, we got good marks but not a good rank. So, we want the papers to be re-evaluated. 

As a concerned parent, I am deeply troubled by the technical issues that the NTA has faced and the allegations of a paper leak. I am left wondering, why should my honest and hardworking child bear the brunt of these issues? I earnestly seek an answer to this from the NTA and the government.

NTA has always been secretive about this grace mark issue. They accepted that they were given grace marks only when there was a hue and cry on social media. They have still not told how many grace marks were given. How can NTA be trusted that it has not given grace marks to more people? 

Once the result has been manipulated, it can also be done for others. The best thing is that all OMR should be reviewed by a third party, and a new result based on the OMR marks should be published.

(All 'My Report' branded stories are submitted by citizen journalists to The Quint. Though The Quint inquires into the claims/allegations from all parties before publishing, the report and the views expressed above are the citizen journalist's own. The Quint neither endorses, nor is responsible for the same.)