Retest has to be on concrete footing that sanctity of entire exam was affected: SC on NEET-UG
New Delhi (PTI): Any order for conducting the NEET-UG 2024 afresh has to be on the concrete footing that the sanctity of the entire exam was affected, the Supreme Court said on Thursday.
A bench comprising Chief Justice of India (CJI) D Y Chandrachud and justices JB Pardiwla and Manoj Misra commenced the crucial hearing on a batch of petitions related to the controversy-ridden medical entrance exam NEET-UG 2024, saying that it has "social ramifications".
The top court adjourned the cases listed ahead of the NEET-UG pleas and said, "We will open the case today. Lakhs of young students are waiting for this, let us hear and decide."
The bench asked the petitioners seeking cancellation, re-test and a court-monitored probe into the alleged irregularities in the May 5 exam to show that the paper leak was "systemic" and affected the entire examination, warranting cancellation.
"Re-examination has to be on concrete footing that the sanctity of the entire test was affected," the CJI said.
On the issue of the ongoing probe, the bench said, "The CBI probe is on. If what the CBI has told us is revealed, it will affect the investigation and people will become wise."
The hearing is underway.
The bench is hearing more than 40 pleas, including those filed by the National Testing Agency (NTA), which conducts NEET-UG, seeking transfer of cases pending against it in various high courts regarding the alleged irregularities in the exam to the Supreme Court to avoid multiplicity of litigations.
On July 11, the top court had adjourned till July 18 the hearing on the pleas, including those seeking cancellation of NEET-UG 2024, re-test and a probe into alleged malpractices, as the responses of the Centre and the NTA were yet to be received by some parties.
More than 23.33 lakh students had taken the test on May 5 at 4,750 centres in 571 cities, including 14 overseas.
In their affidavits filed earlier in the apex court, the Centre and the NTA had said that scrapping the exam would be "counterproductive" and "seriously jeopardise" lakhs of honest candidates in the absence of any proof of large-scale breach of confidentiality.
The National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test-Undergraduate (NEET-UG) is conducted by the NTA for admissions to MBBS, BDS, AYUSH and other related courses in government and private institutions across the country.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Totally false: PM Modi on reports of govt planning to levy tax on foreign travel
New Delhi (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday dismissed reports that the government is considering levying a tax or a cess or a surcharge on foreign travel as "totally false".
The prime minister said this in response to a new report suggesting that the government is considering levying a tax or a cess or a surcharge on foreign travel but no final decision has been taken yet.
"This is totally false. Not an iota of truth in this. There is no question of putting such restrictions on foreign travel. We remain committed to improving 'Ease of Doing Business' and 'Ease of Living' for our people," Modi said in a post on X.
It is rare that the prime minister himself has denied a media report.
The report, quoting sources, claimed that the proposal to levy a cess or a tax or a surcharge on foreign travel is being discussed at the highest levels.
