Recently, the National Testing Agency (NTA) informed the Supreme Court that a video circulating on Telegram, allegedly showing a leak of the NEET UG 2024 exam paper a day before the May 5 examination, was fabricated.

In an affidavit, the NTA stated that the video claimed to display a photo of the exam paper leaked on May 4, but a closer inspection revealed that an edited image in the video had a timestamp of 17:40 P.M. on May 5, 2024. Discussions on the Telegram channel and social media indicated that members recognized the video as fake, with the timestamp deliberately altered to falsely suggest an early leak.

Responding to the Supreme Court's query on July 8, the NTA revealed that it had withheld the results of 17 candidates reported by the Bihar police for involvement in paper leakage. The NTA clarified that the performance of these candidates was moderate to below average, indicating minimal impact on the exam's overall integrity.

The NTA also addressed a list of 30 candidates from Godhra, withholding their results pending investigation. Additionally, 153 cases of Unfair Means (UFM) were reported, with 81 candidates' results withheld and 54 candidates debarred for up to three years based on the UFM Committee's recommendations.

The agency dismissed allegations that top scorers were concentrated in specific centers, revealing that the top 100 candidates were distributed across 95 centers in 56 cities within 18 states/UTs. This distribution underscored the widespread participation and competitive spirit among students nationwide.

Looking ahead, the NTA is considering replacing the pen-and-paper examination with a computer-based test (CBT) mode to enhance exam security and integrity. The agency assured the court that it would continue to investigate and take necessary actions in coordination with the CBI and other authorities.

Case Title : Vanshika Yadav Vs Union of India & Ors.