In a significant development, the Supreme Court has directed the National Testing Agency (NTA) to revise the NEET UG (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test for Undergraduate) merit list. The revision comes in response to a controversial Physics question that sparked debate among students and experts.

The contentious question, which appeared in the NEET-UG 2024 examination, involved two statements related to atoms:

Statement I: Atoms are electrically neutral because they contain an equal number of positive and negative charge

NEET-UG 2024
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Statement II: Atoms of each element are stable and emit their characteristic spectrum.

Initially, the NTA awarded four marks to students who chose either of two answers. However, a panel of three experts from IIT Delhi reviewed the question and recommended a single correct answer. As per their assessment, only students whose answers align with the IIT Delhi suggestion will now receive the full four marks. Notably, 420,774 candidates attempted option 2 (the old NCERT edition answer), while 928,379 candidates chose option 4. Those who selected the second option will lose five marks.

The Supreme Court bench, led by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud, dismissed pleas seeking the cancellation and re-test of the NEET UG examination. The court found no substantial evidence of a major problem with the exam. Consequently, the NTA’s decision to revise the merit list based on the IIT Delhi recommendation stands.

Impact on Toppers

As of the initial NEET UG results declared on June 4, 2024, a total of 67 students secured the top rank. However, subsequent adjustments led to a reduction in the number of toppers. The NTA removed compensatory marks awarded to students for loss of time during the exam. Additionally, a re-examination was conducted for 1,563 students who received grace marks. Out of these, only 813 students appeared for the re-test.

With the apex court’s directive to revise the results based on the correct answer suggested by IIT Delhi, the number of NEET toppers is expected to decrease significantly—from 61 to 17.

Students are advised to stay updated by regularly checking the official NEET UG website for any announcements regarding the final result for 2024.

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