Kolkata/New Delhi/IBNS: The Calcutta High Court has sought a response from the National Testing Agency (NTA) over a PIL filed alleging irregularities in the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET), the test for entry into medical colleges.

The petitioners have argued candidates had no scope to get marks like 718 or 719 as per the marking system.

Noting NTA's reason for granting such grace marks to the examinees, the division of the high court has asked the agency for a response to the allegations.

A writ petition was filed in the Delhi High Court challenging the grace marks awarded to the examinees by the NTA.

The vacation bench of the Delhi High Court has asked the agency for a stand on the petition.

In this year's examination, it is alleged that two of the options given for a question appeared to be correct, contrary to the instruction that only one option would be correct.

Following the allegations, the NTA went ahead with granting grace marks to all those who had opted for one of the two correct answers.

The plea said as quoted by Bar and Bench, "In addition, the result declared by the Respondent (NTA) also grants arbitrary and unfair grace marks to various candidates without application of mind.

"This is an abhorrent violation of the rights of all candidates who do not benefit from this arbitrariness and end up losing their ranks (rank differences amount to about 20,000 and more) and therefore the potential of securing a better future."

Tamil Nadu leaders want NEET to be withdrawn

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, other political leaders have renewed their demands for the withdrawal of the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) after a number of irregularities popped up in the examination for the 2024 medical college.

Stalin posted on X , "Trends emerging from the latest #NEET results have once again vindicated our principled opposition to the exam. Issues such as question paper leaks, clustering of toppers at specific centres, and award of marks, which are mathematically impossible, under the guise of grace marks highlight the pitfalls of the current Union Government’s centralisation.

"These events emphasise the need to restore the preeminence State governments' and school education system's role in determining criteria for professional course selection."

Stalin's opponent from AIADMK and Leader of Opposition in the state, E Palaniswamy proposed for the return of the previous model where the entry into medical colleges were decided on the basis of Class 12 results.

PMK founder S Ramadoss too proposed the abolition of the model of examination.

Ramadoss has also demanded a re-test of the medical entrance and wants the NEET to be scrapped next year.

Welcoming Stalin's demand, TNCC president K Selvaperunthogai has said the NEET has destroyed the aspirations of the poor students, Deccan Chronicle reported.

The NEET results were declared on June 4 coinciding with the Lok Sabha poll results.