Centre Assures Supreme Court of Full Implementation of NEET-UG Reforms by Expert Panel

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): The Centre has assured the Supreme Court that it will implement the recommendations of a seven-member expert panel formed to address NEET-UG examination reforms. This assurance follows a review of the National Testing Agency's (NTA) handling of the NEET-UG 2024. Over 23 lakh students appeared for the examination last year to gain admission to MBBS, BDS, AYUSH and other courses.

In August 2024, the Supreme Court declined to annul the NEET-UG 2024, despite controversies surrounding it, stating there was insufficient evidence of systemic malpractice or leaks compromising the exam's integrity. A subsequent petition seeking a review of this decision was dismissed in November 2024.

Formation of the Expert Committee

In response to concerns, the government established a seven-member expert committee led by former ISRO Chief K Radhakrishnan to evaluate the NTA's functioning and propose reforms for ensuring transparency and integrity in NEET-UG. The panel also included members such as Randeep Guleria, B J Rao, Ramamurthy K, Pankaj Bansal, Aditya Mittal and Govind Jaiswal. Its mandate extends to policy review, stakeholder engagement, international collaboration and suggesting measures to support students’ mental health and train NTA staff.

Implementation Timeline

On Thursday, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Centre informed a Supreme Court bench comprising Justices PS Narasimha and Manoj Misra that the committee's report had been submitted and all its recommendations would be implemented. “We will implement all the recommendations. This matter can be revisited after six months,” the Solicitor General stated. The bench adjourned the case for three months and scheduled it for a hearing in April, noting that the full report wasn’t disclosed due to sensitive details, including the printing of examination papers.

In October 2024, the Supreme Court granted the expert panel additional time to submit its findings. The Centre's commitment to implementing the panel's suggestions is seen as a significant step toward improving the NEET-UG examination process.