NEET-UG 2024: Supreme Court Refuses To Stay Counselling For Admissions To Medical Colleges, Seeks NTA's Response On Paper Leak Allegation

The Supreme Court has declined to stay the counselling for admissions to medical colleges amidst allegations of paper leaks and irregularities in the NEET-UG 2024 examination.

A SC Vacation Bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath and Ahsanuddin Amanullah issued notice in one of the petitions seeking cancellation of the exam and investigation into the alleged paper leak.

The Court has scheduled further hearing of the matter to 8 July, and sought a response from the National Testing Agency (NTA).

"We will not stop the counselling. If you argue further, we will dismiss this," remarked the Court, Bar and Bench reported.

The apex Court was hearing a batch of petitions seeking the exam's cancellation over alleged paper leaks and other irregularities.

Similar petitions are pending in various High Courts, including Delhi and Calcutta.

"It is not that simple that because you have done it is sacrosanct. Sanctity has been affected, so we need answers," Justice Amanullah told the counsel representing the National Testing Agency.

"How much time you want? Immediately on the re-opening? Otherwise, the counselling will start." Justice Amanullah told the NTA's counsel.

The counsel for the NTA submitted that the petition be tagged along with an earlier petition on which notice was issued by a bench led by the Chief Justice of India on 17 May. 

Advocate Mathews J Nedumpara, appearing for the petitioners, sought for a stay of the counselling. However, the bench refused to do so. 

"Issue notice. In the meantime, the response will be filed by the National Testing Agency," the bench observed in the order.

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