Vanshika Yadav vs. Union of India [August 2, 2024]
Background of the Case
The case arose after the NEET (UG) 2024 examination, which is the national-level medical entrance exam conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA), faced widespread controversy. Vanshika Yadav, along with several other students, filed petitions challenging the conduct of the exam and the results.
The main issues raised in the case were:
Alleged Paper Leaks:
Some reports suggested that the question paper had been leaked in certain cities like Patna and Hazaribagh. It was alleged that a few candidates had access to the paper before the exam, raising concerns about fairness.
Discrepancies in Results:
After the exam, it was observed that an unusually high number of students had scored top marks. Specifically, 67 students got full marks, which was extremely unusual. Investigations revealed that this anomaly was partly due to errors in older NCERT textbook versions, which affected the answer keys.
Grace Marks Controversy:
Around 1,563 students were awarded grace marks due to the identified discrepancies, which led to debates about fairness. Students who did not receive grace marks felt disadvantaged, while others questioned the overall credibility of the result.
Because of these issues, Vanshika Yadav approached the Supreme Court, seeking either cancellation of the results or a re-examination.
Supreme Court’s Consideration
The Supreme Court examined:
The evidence of paper leaks.
The anomalies in scoring and awarding of grace marks.
Whether the integrity of the entire examination process was compromised.
The impact of canceling or re-conducting the exam on thousands of other students.
The Court had to strike a balance between fairness to individual candidates and practical implications for the broader student community.
Supreme Court’s Findings
No Systemic Failure:
While there were isolated incidents of paper leaks, the Court found no evidence of a widespread failure that invalidated the entire exam. Most candidates appeared to have taken the exam fairly.
Re-examination Not Needed:
The Court rejected the plea to cancel or reconduct the exam, stating that such a drastic measure was not justified given the evidence.
Revised Results:
The NTA was directed to revise the results to correct errors. As a result, the number of top scorers was reduced from 67 to 17, ensuring the merit list reflected more accurate performance.
Expert Committee for Reforms:
To prevent such controversies in future exams, the Court ordered the formation of a seven-member Expert Committee, headed by Dr. K. Radhakrishnan (former ISRO chairman). The committee’s job was to suggest reforms to make NEET more transparent and secure.
Significance of the Judgment
The judgment is important for several reasons:
It upheld the credibility of the NEET examination while addressing anomalies.
It emphasized the need for systemic reforms rather than ad-hoc cancellations.
It balanced the rights of students who were affected by errors with the larger interest of thousands of other candidates.
It paved the way for improved examination administration, including better security, fair evaluation, and transparency.
In short, the Supreme Court acknowledged the mistakes and anomalies but refused to cancel the exam, instead directing corrections and reforms to prevent such issues in the future.
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