Over 22.8 lakh candidates retook NEET-UG exam June 21 after paper leak scrapped original test. Government took twofold action: Central Bureau of Investigation brought leak case under Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act,2024,while National Testing Agency (NTA) held re-exam, refunded ₹1,700 fee for general category.
But these moves dodge NTA's accountability issues . Formed in 2017 under Societies Registration Act,1860,NTA lacks real liability framework for candidates. It manages registrations, refunds, little else . Broader failures go unchecked.
NEET-UG format makes gap worse. Nationwide, one sitting, results determine admissions for all Indian medical colleges . If compromised, whole exam canceled, no backup plan to soften impact . Minor disruptions ripple out,dragging cycle of applications,exams,results.
With 1.26 lakh MBBS seats, over 22 lakh candidates,many students retake exams,pour resources into prep,no guarantee of admission. Cancellation refunds only exam fees, not coaching,accommodation costs that run into lakhs . No government survey tracks these expenses, leaving knowledge gap on families' financial strain.
ASER 2024 report shows educational gaps, noting government school students often trail private ones. Those with fewer resources feel canceled exams more acutely.
Public Examinations Act, 2024,punishes organized leaks harshly but offers no compensation for candidates hit by cancellations. Focus on penalties ignores structural impact on compliant candidates, leaving them exposed to system failures.
Shifting NEET to Computer-Based Testing (CBT) doesn't fix core problems. June 2024 saw similar leak with UGC-NET, also a CBT exam. Issue isn't delivery method,but lack of distributed system to contain breaches.
Current national exam system raises equality concerns under Article 14. State must ensure equal educational opportunities, especially for disadvantaged,per Articles 41, 46 of Directive Principles. A system shifting failure costs onto those least able to afford contradicts these principles.
Three reforms needed. One, NTA must have statutory basis with clear obligations, enforceable failure consequences. Two, automatic compensation from exam fees for affected candidates. Three,multiple exam windows yearly to distribute risk, so one compromised sitting doesn't sink all candidates' prospects.
Recent re-exam may have calmed immediate crisis,but core problems persist. Focus can't just be on finding culprits. Why does system fail so completely when breaches happen…
