The Delhi High Court has called for the National Testing Agency (NTA) to present its stand on a petition brought by a NEET candidate, alleging the inclusion of an ‘out of syllabus’ question in this year’s entrance examination.
The candidate claimed that one question in the physics section was based on ‘radioactivity,’ a topic not included in the NEET-UG syllabus for the year. Additionally, the petition highlighted a ‘manifest error’ in another question, where the NTA had marked the incorrect option as the correct answer.
Justice Dharmesh Sharma, heading a vacation bench, allotted two weeks for the authorities, including the Centre, NTA, and the National Medical Commission, to file their responses to the petition. The bench noted, “Counsels for respondents No.1 to 3 are present on advance notice and request time to file a short affidavit. Let the same be filed within two weeks from today.”
The petitioner, who identified themselves as a ‘successful candidate,’ argued that their overall ranking had been unfairly impacted due to these errors by the NTA. Through lawyer Sameer Kumar, the petition remarked, “Irregularities in competitive exams, especially for those preparing to become future doctors, must be taken seriously as they propagate inequalities, favoring some while disadvantaging those responsible for public health in the future.” The court has scheduled the next hearing for July 16.
