Statistical Anomalies in Scores, Paper Leak, Undisclosed Grace Marks Provision, Discrepancies in Scorecards, Unprecedented Number of Perfect Scores- the NEET-UG exam in mired in controversies this time. Dr KM Abul Hasan, the Chairman of Indian Medical Association's Junior Doctors Network (JDN), joins News Brake this week to decode the issue.
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[00:00:01] This June 4th was a day full of excitement and anticipation. In the political landscape, the NDA emerged victorious in the Indian general elections. But there was another set of results, thousands were waiting for. The neat UGA exam results. And when it finally arrived, all hell broke loose.
[00:00:22] Statistical anomalies in scores, paper leaks, undisclosed grace marks provision, discrepancies in scorecards, unprecedented number of perfect scores. The allegations had no end. Surrounding the National Eligibility Come entrance test 2024.
[00:01:03] So before talking to our expert for the day, let us take a look at the basic questions raised by many neat candidates. Question number 1. How can students score 718 and 719 out of 720 marks when a correct incorrect and unattempted question gets 4, negative 1 and 0 marks respectively?
[00:01:26] 2. Was the neat exam paper leaked? 3. What is the criteria for awarding grace marks to students for time wastage? 4. Why did students receive different marks on their scorecards compared to their OMR sheets? 5. And finally, how did 67 students achieve the perfect score of 720 this neat UGA exam?
[00:01:52] When the corresponding figures were 2 and 4 in the previous years. And moreover, how did 7 of these perfect scores come from a single centre in Haryana? To answer these questions, we are joined by Dr. K. M. Abul-Hassan, the chairman of the Indian Medical Association's Junior Doctors Network.
[00:02:14] The IMA's JDN was in fact one of the first to demand a CBI investigation into the matter. Welcome to the show Dr. Abul-Hassan. Thank you. Good evening. So the IMA's JDN was in fact one of the first to demand a CBI investigation into the neat controversy, right?
[00:02:34] So what prompted the Junior Doctors Network to take a stand on the issue? Could you please highlight the main points of contention that you had? Yes. Already the points are out in the media that the most important thing we take it is even before the announcement of results,
[00:02:53] two months earlier to that there was a petition in the Supreme Court of India asking, praying for withholding the announcement of results. But the petition was rejected and ultimately the results were also announced. As soon as the results were announced, there were lots of irregularities that were found.
[00:03:15] The most glaring one was 67 people scoring 720 marks. And in addition to that, it was also found there are from 67 to 69 to rank from one center in Haryana. So it raised a suspicion of malpractices in the examination.
[00:03:38] And also there was a mark like 718 and 19 which are practically impossible to score in this present system of neat exam. So but it was clarified later by India that it was a grace mark or compensatory marks or whatever it was given for the loss of time.
[00:04:01] These are all rise suspicions that there should be something happened and the genuine candidates would be greatly affected by this kind of irregularities.
[00:04:13] So we took it up very seriously and we wanted to clear all the doubts, put these neat exam which is going to be now one of the very important and also meritorious exam supposed to be for the medical aspirin candidates.
[00:04:28] So this has to be very, very clear and straightforward. That's why we are serious about it. Right. So now the National Testing Agency has released an FAQ document following the controversy.
[00:04:40] So do you think these explanations because all of your points of contention have been roughly answered in this FAQ? So are these explanations satisfactory according to you and especially regarding the grace marks issue and things like that?
[00:04:57] Definitely the explanation for all sort of and our satisfying our junior doctors network. Because of the thing that many people complain that their marks scored and also compared to the YMR seat marks using the key answers are not equal.
[00:05:20] So there are some disparities that is there and also whether they are going to withdraw this grace mark or they are going to only address the thousand and all the students
[00:05:33] who had given their grievances in writing they are going to kind of address only those people are yet to be seen.
[00:05:41] So I think they will have to do lots of work further till many things are pending and like grace marks very, very unprecedented that is it was not announced earlier. And also we have found that it is not applicable in the medical and engineering examination.
[00:06:03] Okay because this normalization, okay because the Supreme Court had approved this normalization process right earlier and they are saying that this is the basis from which they introduce the grace mark system. So is that correct?
[00:06:21] Yes correct. The final version should come from Supreme Court and accordingly we should make because already there are issues in the court and they have taken some measures and they are going to submit to the Supreme Court.
[00:06:39] The Supreme Court approves or not we will have to wait and see madam it is depending on their verdict.
[00:06:46] Alright so now as you said earlier there was a 15% increase in perfect scores this time but the NTA is saying that this is because more people have applied this time and the multiple choices were given as the correct answers in the sheet.
[00:07:02] So does that justify the huge increase in perfect scores? Is that possible because you are a medical practitioner yourself and you have attempted these exams so is that possible that such a huge increase would come from these reasons?
[00:07:19] Yes possible it is one way it is possible but this time the cutoff has increased so much So there will be huge competition for the sheets and definitely people who are meritorious definitely find it very difficult to get a seat at this time.
[00:07:44] Okay so what were the numbers like in the previous years? How many people scored perfect scores in the previous years if you want to compare?
[00:07:52] Yes there is definitely the first markers in the year 21, 22, 23 had a perfect score of 720 where very less one person scored in 22, 21 and the next people now kind of 715 also.
[00:08:16] Also in the subsequent there were three candidates only, so this 10, 67 people scored and also there are about thousands of people beyond the score of 60 but almost filling up all the sheets that are going to be cancelled.
[00:08:40] Right so now there's another argument which is coming forth because which is from the side of the state of Tamil Nadu. They have been opposed to the NEET exam since the beginning of its implementation. So MK Salan and DMK has always dubbed it as anti-poor and anti-social justice.
[00:08:58] So do you agree with this or do you think that there are only a few problems with the exam and if that is rectified it can continue? Yes in the beginning Tamil Nadu government was one of the few states that were anti-poor state.
[00:09:15] The reason cited at that point of time it was not a level playing field.
[00:09:20] People who are studying in the schools in the cosmopolitan cities would get access to the coaching centre whereas people who are studying in the schools in the remote area of the state would not have had access to such kind of coaching.
[00:09:36] So they would be denied medical seat. That was in fact true only at that point of time. So that's why the government, state government, previous government introduced a system of 7.5 reservation for students who are studying in government schools. That one way relived that kind of pressure.
[00:09:58] But we are not strictly opposing this NEET but we will have to have it as to be a very transparent exam on the genuine exam. Right, so now on this particular NEET issue you have suggested a re-examination as an alternative right?
[00:10:20] So do you think the NTA will consider this and is it practical considering the time and the admissions on your end that it would delay the entire process? Yes we understand it's a huge exercise. We are going to do it again.
[00:10:34] It all depends on the court what they think. Mainly we depend on the re-examting depending on the court. If the court says that it can be, it cannot be done then we will agree by that.
[00:10:50] Okay so are you planning any further legal steps on this matter or you know you are just waiting for the court verdict? Still possible and we are thinking in that plan only.
[00:11:03] If we get more still our people not relieved of their grievances or their grievances are not met. If we get such a complaint from our junior doctors then definitely we will also join the legal battle in this issue.
[00:11:23] Alright so thank you so much Dr. Abulhassan for joining us. I think you've clarified a lot of aspects for us. That's a wrap for today's episode. Thank you so much for joining us. Thank you. It's my pleasure.
[00:11:36] So with that we come to the end of today's episode. That's a wrap and this is On Manorama's Newspake an explainer podcast produced by Harita Benjamin with technical production by Aydya Bruce Studios. It comes out every week and is available on all podcast platforms.
[00:11:53] Follow on manorama.com for more updates.