NEET 2024 results row: Chandigarh students fear losing out on GMCH-32 seat

With the Supreme Court on Tuesday seeking answers from the National Testing Agency (NTA) and the central government over the controversy surrounding NEET-UG 2024, students who took the test in Chandigarh are hoping for a thorough probe into the alleged paper leak and other irregularities that will potentially make them lose out on a seat at Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32.

The National Eligibility-cum Entrance Test (NEET) for admission to MBBS, BDS and AYUSH and other related courses was conducted by the National Testing Agency on May 5, 2024, across 4,750 centres, and around 24 lakh candidates sat for it. Results were expected around June 14, but were declared much ahead on June 4.

A row emerged after students alleged paper leak and irregularities in awarding of grace marks. This inflation of marks resulted in an unprecedented 67 candidates, six of them from the same centre in Haryana, scoring a perfect 720 out of 720 marks, a departure from the usual three to four students. This jump in marks, argue students, will make it more difficult to secure a spot in medical schools.

Om Vats, a student in Chandigarh, who secured 715 out of 720 marks, said, “I was expecting a rank between 30 and 32, as last year, the same marks would have fetched me the 19th rank. But this year my rank dropped to 192. Even those with a perfect score of 720 won’t secure a seat in AIIMS, New Delhi, due to only 46 general category seats. Then how can I expect to get in, despite achieving 715 marks?”

At Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Sector 32, the only medical college in Chandigarh, last year, the cut-off under the general category of Chandigarh domicile, with 92 MBBS seats, was 598 marks.

This year, however, even 650 marks will lead to a rank of 30,000.

Riya, 18, who scored 603 marks, said, “I expected a rank of around 29,000 and hoped to get admission in GMCH, Sector 32. However, my rank has plunged to 77,000, making it difficult to get into a government college. Such a massive jump in cut-off has never been experienced before. A thorough investigation into the discrepancies is necessary.”

Another Chandigarh student, Saumya Gupta, 18, who scored 621 marks, said despite her hard work, she won’t secure a seat at GMCH under the Chandigarh quota. “I expected to rank around 19,000. But due to the irregularities, I have been ranked 57,000. Based on last year’s cut-off, I was hoping to get into GMCH. But now, I have been forced to consider a private college. We demand a thorough inquiry and hope for justice from the Supreme Court,” she said.

Similarly, Doha Lakhanpal, 18, a Chandigarh resident, said, “My rank has plummeted to twice than what I had expected. I’m uncertain about my next step — whether to opt for a private college or take a year off. I’m completely at a loss.”

Arvind Goyal, a NEET trainer in Sector 37, with 23 years of experience, stated, “There are numerous concerns about the exam process. Even students with perfect scores are not getting into their desired colleges. The exam standards have declined over the years. Previously, 669 marks was the top score, but now it ranks at 15,000. This indicates a critical need to review how the exam is conducted.”