SC notice to NBE on plea seeking release of question paper, answer key of NEET-PG 2021 candidates

The Supreme Court on Monday issued notice to the National Board of Examinations (NBE) and others on a petition seeking direction to release the question paper and answer key of the candidates for NEET-PG 2021.

A bench of justices DY Chandrachud and Surya Kant asked NBE and others to file a reply on the petition and tagged the matter with other similar pleas relating to NEET.

The bench was hearing the petition filed by Sushant Gangey, a doctor who possesses a recognized degree of Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS") awarded by a University or institute in India and registered with the State Medical Council.

The petitioner has also obtained provisional/permanent registration. The petitioner has appeared in NEET-PG 2021, which was conducted on September 11, 2021.

In his plea filed through advocate on record Kaustubh Shukla, the petitioner said that he wants to bring to the notice of the top court the grave and serious problems faced by thousands of NEET-PG aspirants across the country due to the arbitrary action on part of the respondent NBE in not releasing the answer key and the question paper for NEET PG 2021.

The petitioner has also challenged arbitrary action on part NBE in not providing the candidates with the option of revaluation or rechecking, in case of discrepancy in their scores.

The petitioner has sought to issue an appropriate direction to the respondent to release the question paper and answer key of the candidates for NEET-PG 2021 and to allow the NEET PG 2021 candidates including the petitioner, the option of revaluation/re-checking in case of discrepancy in their scores.

The petitioner also sought to declare Clause 9.7 and 10.4 of the NEET-PG Information Bulletin, 2021 as "unconstitutional" and to direct the establishment of a high powered committee to examine instances of alleged discrepancy been raised by thousands of candidates across the country in order to ensure fairness and transparency in the evaluation mechanism

The petition also sought to issue an appropriate direction to upload individual OMR answer sheets in the login account along with question paper and the corresponding answer key, immediately after the examination.

It also sought to direct the NBE to provide the answer key and question paper to the candidates for NEET-PG 2021, upon them filing the RTI application.

( With inputs from ANI )