Navigating the Storm: Analyzing the Impact of Recent Controversies in National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test Entrance Examinations on Students and Medical Institutions
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: INTRODUCTION National Eligibility cum Entrance Test for Undergraduates (NEET-UGs) is a national-level common portal for lakhs of students aspiring to join medical programs in India. In 2013, NEET-UG was introduced which was conducted by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), replacing All India Pre-Medical Test (AIPMT).[1] However, for the next 2 years, the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) was discontinued due to few legal challenges and temporarily it was replaced by AIPMT. In 2016, NEET was reintroduced again with the CBSE board, and from 2019 onward, the National Testing Agency (NTA) took over the responsibility of conducting the examination.[2] Currently, NEET is one of the biggest examinations in India with more than 2 million applicants every year.[3] The complete NEET-UG examination controversies must be known to better understand the impact on the NEET aspirants. WHAT ARE THE RECENT CONTROVERSIES IN THE NATIONAL ELIGIBILITY CUM ENTRANCE TEST EXAMINATION? As NEET is the sole entrance examination for students across the nation to join undergraduate medical courses, these controversies shook the nation [Table 1]. On the day of examination, allegations of questions leak arose in the social media but NTA disagreed with these.Table 1: List of National Eligibility cum Entrance Test for undergraduates examination result controversiesIn Patna, 13 people were arrested, who had allegedly paid money to obtain the question paper before the examination, and at one examination center, an invigilator instructed students not to attempt questions they did not know and helped them with the answers later.[4] The examination results were declared all of a sudden on June 4, 2024, which was 10 days earlier than the scheduled dates and a total of 67 students achieved perfect scores of 720/720, a significantly higher number than in previous examinations, which raised controversy and many examinees got scores of 718 or 719 that is mathematically impossible under the examination marking guidelines.[5] The NTA clarified that the increase in top scorers was due to 44 of the 67 students incorrectly answering a physics question but still being awarded marks because of an error in an older version of the NCERT textbook.[6] This led to widespread student protests and social media storm demanding the cancellation of the examination, proper investigation, and urged a re-examination. The Supreme Court of India ruled that there were no indications of an overall systemic failure, except a few circumstances and stated that there won’t be any re-examinations.[7] Moreover, regarding the odd scores that were actually not possible to be scored, the NTA clarified in the court that 1563 examinees (including 6 top scorers from the same center) were awarded compensatory marks for the delay in conducting examinations at few examination centers. As advised by the apex court, re-examinations were conducted for those 1563 candidates and around 813 candidates appeared and the revised results were announced.[5] Adding to the unsettled situation, one of the physics questions became controversial for which some students had been awarded compensatory marks. But later on following the judgement of the Supreme Court, the compensatory marks were removed and final re-revised results were declared by the NTA on 26 July 2024. In the final revised result, 17 students have scored 720 marks.[8] With these controversies, many raised debates in the media, questioning the authenticity of the examination organizing body. These controversies have had far-reaching consequences, particularly for students and medical institutions. WHAT IS THE IMPACT ON STUDENTS? Impact on current admission batch 2024 students The counseling for the current 2024 batch was delayed because of these controversies and its legal challenges and made awaited with agitations of re-examinations, whether to coach for the examinations and already those awarded higher marks fearing of losing the rank if re-examinations conducted. Still, the counseling had not completed and students were yet to join in most of the institutions including national institutes. This may impact the late initiation of academic sessions and pressuring the students to complete within a short duration. Mental suffering and decline in confidence Students put their heart and soul in preparation for this examination, and any disruption causes anxiety about their future. The plight of many students, who prepare so hard for years to give this one examination and they come across these controversies that may lead to the wastage of another year in their life, which is unimaginable. With allegations of cheating and malpractices, students often fear that their efforts may be masked by dishonest practices, leading to an increased sense of helplessness and loss of confidence in them. This fear of an unfair selection process increases the mental strain, particularly for those who believe they are disadvantaged. The pressure to succeed can lead to mental health issues, including stress, depression, and in extreme cases, suicidal thoughts. Hindrance to the groundwork When examinations get delayed or rescheduled due to controversies, students face interruptions in their study plans leading to reduced preparation time and poor performance in examinations. In many cases, students have to readjust their entire routine, which can be difficult, especially for those already under pressure pushing them to deviate in legal challenges, false media reports, or discussions which distracts them from their academic goals and negatively impact their performance. In some cases, students, instead of putting their efforts in preparing for the examination, they may tend to get motivated to put effort in malpractices such as trying to find question papers which comparatively seem simple to them. Financial burden NEET preparation has become an expensive undertaking, including coaching, study materials, and examination fees, making it difficult for many students to afford quality preparation despite the growing demand for it. Students from lower-income backgrounds face additional challenges in dealing with the aftermath of NEET controversies. Furthermore, the coaching institutes make pure business out of NEET aspirants making it difficult for weaker economic sections to dream of becoming doctors. Peer pressure and competition In competitive examinations such as NEET, students will constantly compare their performance with their peers creating unhealthy competition among the students exacerbating the mental health issues. This will severely affect the learning process of the student leading to slow learning. Career roadmap and long-term goals impact Due to these controversies, many times students are forced to delay their career plans, sometimes leading to a gap year or forced changes in their career paths. Persistent controversies can lead to loss of trust in the education system and medical profession. This may lead in fearing of these conspiracies, eligible meritorious candidates opting for professional degrees other than medicine. Hence, the medical profession is left with average or poor scorers. DOES IT IMPACT THE MEDICAL INSTITUTIONS? Yes, medical institutes experience just as much disruption as students as when the integrity of the test is compromised, it affects the quality of the student intake. Issues such as paper leaks undermine the credibility of the selection process, calling into question whether the most deserving students are being admitted. Some major impacts include. Lack of trust in the admission process Controversies lead to loss of trust in the admission process and may face challenges in justifying the fairness of their selection process to students, parents, and the public as patients. Disruption in academic schedules Delays in the announcement of results or the admission process can affect the timely commencement of academic sessions, disrupting the planned curriculum and causing delays in student intake. This can result in burdened schedules, compressed timelines for practical, and difficulty in meeting accreditation standards causing time constraints leading to compromise in the quality of education and training which will have a huge impact in evolving as good consultants. Impact on institutional reputation Following the unfair means even if some of the candidates secured seats in medical colleges, it will be difficult for those students to cope up with the extensive competition within the institute and may show up with poorer grades which will impact the overall reputation of the institute. Medical colleges may be scrutinized for their role in admitting candidates through a controversial process, potentially harming their reputation. Legal and administrative challenges Medical institutions may face legal issues and administrative interventions resulting from the controversies surrounding NEET examinations creating an additional layer of complexity for institutions in terms of compliance, policies, and maintaining operational stability. This in turn can have an impact on training medical students’ skills and curriculum. Increased dependency on alternative admissions In response to the controversies, the national examination may be scrambled and an older system of examinations may be implemented where the aspirant has to prepare and appear for multiple state- and national institute-wise examinations. ANALYZING SUCCESS TRENDS SINCE NATIONAL ELIGIBILITY CUM ENTRANCE TEST FOR UNDER GRADUATE’S INCEPTION NEET was introduced in 2013 to replace multiple state and institutional entrance examinations, aiming for a uniform and transparent selection process. However, its impact is as follows: 2013–2016: The initial years saw resistance from states and students due to abrupt changes. Success rates were low due to a shift from state syllabus-based examinations to a centralized pattern. The students from the state board syllabus had problem in solving examinations and they were pushed behind in ranks 2017–2019: With more aspirants taking coaching classes, performance improved, but rural and economically weaker students struggled due to lack of resources 2020–Present: The number of applicants surged past 22 lakh, but the ratio of successful candidates to total aspirants remains low, leading to concerns about affordability and accessibility. Looking into the percentage of qualified individuals out of the total individuals attending the NEET-UG examination from 2020 to 2024, it was observed that every year a similar percentage of individuals qualified (which is approximately 55%–57%). This rigid consistency in qualification rates with a very narrow range, despite yearly variations in the number of applicants, raises serious concerns about the fairness and transparency of the evaluation process. SOME PARALLEL CONCERNS IN NATIONAL ELIGIBILITY CUM ENTRANCE TEST FOR POSTGRADUATE The NEET for postgraduate (NEET-PG) 2024 examination has also been fraught with several controversies that have significantly impacted candidates and medical institutions. The main issues include: Examination schedule and format changes Multiple postponements Initially scheduled for March 3, 2024, the exam faced multiple rescheduling, eventually being held on August 11, 2024.[9] In the middle, there were reports of question paper leaks. The Government of India claimed that the media reports of the leak of the NEET-PG 2024 examination paper as false and misleading. The National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) filed a police complaint against those attempting to defraud NEET-PG aspirants. These issues disrupted candidates’ preparation timelines and heightened anxiety. Introduction of two shifts For the first time, the examination was conducted in two shifts to improve logistical efficiency. However, this led to concerns about varying difficulty levels between shifts. However, the Supreme court, on May 30, 2025 has instructed the National Board of Examination (NBE) to conduct the NEET-PG 2025 entrance exam in a single shift to ensure transparency and fairness. This decision came after petitions challenged the NBE’s plan for two shifts, with the court citing potential arbitrariness due to varying difficulty levels between question papers.[10] Normalization process and result discrepancies Normalization controversy To address potential disparities between the two shifts, the NBEMS implemented a normalization process. Many candidates reported receiving lower ranks than anticipated, leading to widespread dissatisfaction. Calls for transparency Candidates demanded the release of raw scores, normalized scores, and official answer keys to understand the evaluation process. NBEMS, however, maintained its policy of not disclosing answer keys, citing concerns over question bank security. Legal challenges and supreme court involvement Petitions filed Multiple candidates filed petitions seeking greater transparency in the examination process, including the disclosure of answer keys and normalization formulas. Supreme court hearings The Supreme Court of India acknowledged these concerns and scheduled hearings to address the issues raised by the petitioners. Counseling process delays and coordination issues Delayed counseling The controversies surrounding the examination results led to significant delays in the counseling process, causing frustration among candidates awaiting seat allocations. Coordination failures There was a notable lack of synchronization between All India Quota and state-level counseling rounds, further complicating the admission process for candidates. These events have underscored the need for systemic reforms in the NEET-PG examination and counseling processes to ensure fairness, transparency, and efficiency in future iterations. THE WAY FORWARD To address these challenges, reforms in the NEET examination process and its guidelines are essential. Introducing stricter measures to prevent malpractices and paper leaks, improving digital infrastructure, and ensuring transparency in result declaration can help restore trust in the system. In addition, providing psychological support to students during these challenging times can mitigate the emotional impact. CONCLUSIONS The controversies surrounding NEET have created a storm of challenges for both students and medical institutions. Navigating this storm will require a collective effort from policymakers, educational bodies, and institutions to ensure that the examination serves its intended purpose – to select the most deserving candidates for the medical profession in a fair and transparent manner. After all these examinations were conducted for developing trained medical professionals serving the public, the authorities must ensure no delay or lag in delivering this service. Financial support and sponsorship Nil. Conflicts of interest There are no conflicts of interest.
Author: Vadapalli Viswas Varma
Institution: All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Mangalagiri
Language: English
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $200
OpenAlex ID: W4411132596