NEET: SC asks CBSE to explain how medical entrance exam will have identical papers

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday asked the CBSE to explain how it would have identical question papers in English, Hindi as well as in vernacular languages for the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET).

A three-judge bench headed by Justice Dipak Misra asked additional solicitor general Maninder Singh, who was appearing for the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), to file an affidavit in this regard and posted the matter for hearing on 10 October.

Singh told the bench, also comprising Justices Amitava Roy and A M Khanwilkar, that questions in vernacular languages in the NEET 2017 examination were not identical translations of the questions in English or Hindi but the difficulty level was the same.

Senior advocate Indira Jaising, appearing for the petitioner, argued that questions in vernacular languages were not identical to those in Hindi and English.

The apex court had earlier refused to “nullify” the NEET 2017 exam saying it would affect over 6 lakh candidates who have passed the test to join medical and dental courses.

It had said it would be “very difficult” to disturb the results of NEET as around 6.11 lakh candidates, out of a total of 11.35 lakh aspirants, have cleared it and the subsequent counselling and admission process was on.

Besides English and Hindi, the NEET exam was conducted in eight vernacular languages in 2017.

The petitioners had argued in the court the all-India ranking was given in the NEET exam which postulates that every candidate should get the identical question paper.

The top court had on 12 June stayed the Madras high court order which had restrained the CBSE from publishing the results. The CBSE had declared the result on 23 June.