SC refuses to set aside 2017 NEET exam, wants uniform question papers from 2018

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday reiterated its earlier order not to set aside the 2017 NEET examination and to stay the on going counseling for medical admissions across the country. The court asked the CBSE to have uniform question papers in English, Hindi and regional languages from 2018 as this year it did not want to disturb the process.  

A Bench of Justices Dipak Misra, Amitav Roy and AM Kanwilkar told senior counsel Indira Jaising, and other counsel appearing for a batch of students that it would be difficult to disturb the admission process particularly when over six lakh students had passed the NEET, out of 11.74 lakh students who appeared for it.

The bench however, pulled up the CBSE for having different question papers for English, Hindi and regional languages and wondered how evaluation of standards of students is possible. 

“We want a commonality in exam and identical question papers for English Hindi and regional languages next year. We want you to consult experts and file an affidavit as to how you (CBSE) are going to implement uniformity in standards.”

Additional Solicitor General Maninder Singh submitted that the difficulty level in English, Hindi and other languages was the same as experts in the respective languages evaluated it. He said while 10.50 lakh students took the exam in English, 1.24 lakh students took the exam in Hindi and other languages. 

ASG Singh said over six lakh students had passed the NEET and any disturbance at this stage would cause a huge problem for students in the admission process.  

He said the CBSE had requested the states to provide translators in the respective languages but as the states did not cooperate, different questions were set for English and other languages keeping the difficulty level uniform.

When Justice Misra asked the ASG whether the purpose of uniformity would be served if the difficulty level were the same, he answered in the affirmative. 

Justice Misra asked the ASG, “why do you choose a difficult path for students? If experts do not know how to translate the questions, then they are not experts."

The Bench told the ASG, “there should be only one question paper in English and there should be translation of the questions in Hindi and other languages."

When counsel repeatedly said examination in vernacular languages, Justice Misra said, “vernacular is a derogatory word, imposed on us by British imperialists.” Counsel then corrected it as regional languages.

In a brief order the Bench directed the CBSE to conduct the 2018 NEET without any ambiguity in question papers in English, Hindi and regional languages. If the questions were uniform it would help the students to choose the language of their choice. Further when there are uniform questions evaluation of the standards of students could also be uniform. 

The Bench said, “As we are contemplating uniformity in NEET exam, we request all the High Courts not to entertain any writ petition in this regard.” 

The Bench posted the matter for further hearing on October 10.