BLANK OMR ANSWER SHEET AND ZERO RESULT HANDED OVER TO NEET (UG) 2020 STUDENTS WHO HAVE MARKED ANSWERS IN THE ANSWER SHEETS
URGING GOVERNMENT OF INDIA, STATE GOVERNMENTS, CENTRAL VIGILANCE COMMISSION, SUPREME COURT OF INDIA, HIGH COURT HYDERABAD, TO TAKE UP SUO MOTO, CONDUCT TRANSPARENT TIME BOUND PROBE AND RECTIFY THE SYSTEM
It has come to our knowledge through the media as well as through our findings that students who have written the NEET (UG) 2020 exam on 13 September 2020 and have actually marked answers in their OMR answer sheets have been given a blank sheet and zero marks in their result.
Students who have obtained merit percentages in their academics – 90% in tenth and intermediate classes – are shocked to see the OMR answer sheets that they filled in have been returned to them as blank and declared ZERO result from National Testing Agency, the agency that conducted NEET (UG) for around 17 lakhs students across India.
RTI REQUESTS FOR PHYSICAL ATTESTED COPY BEING TURNED DOWN BY NTA
NTA is not even giving the physical attested copy of the student’s OMR answer sheet to the students under RTI. Even the first appeal has been turned down in a student’s case. Only the online version has been given at PIO level and at first appeal level the scanned version has been given. But till date the attested copy of the student’s own answer sheet has not been given nor has the physical answer sheet been shown to the student through a video conference call, as requested by the student.
NTA ASKS STUDENT TO COME TO NOIDA OFFICE FOR VERIFICATION
On the contrary, student is advised to come to NOIDA office if they desire to check their physical copy.
NTA replies to the student that the OMR sheet has been verified with the answer sheet and there is no discrepancy. Further they state that if student is not satisfied ‘you may please visit the NTA Office, NSIC-MDBP Building, Okhla Industrial Estate, Phase III, New Delhi-110020 on any working day between 12:00 p.m. to 05:30 p.m.’
So a poor meritorious student has to visit Delhi to get redressal for her grievance. Is this the systemic set up for NEET grievances. Where is the Telangana chapter of NEET in Hyderabad? To what benefit is this sort of a centralized structure of examination?
MULTIPLE CASES FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY – STUDENTS SHOCKED DEPRESSED
The Ministry/Department of HRD was already approached on this earlier on 3rd November but there has been no response till date.
Similar cases reported from across the country. A few links are given below:
NEET Aspirants Allege Discrepancies in Marks (The Hindu)
NEET Student Alleges Doctoring of OMR Sheet (New Indian Express)
NEET Aspirants Say Scores Don’t Match Calculations, One Moves SC (Times of India)
ABSENCE OF TIME BOUND TRANSPARENT LOGICALLY CONCLUSIVE GRIEVANCE REDRESSAL
Any agency is bound to have a structured grievance redressal system which provides a solution within a definite time-frame and which brings the matter in question to a logical closure. This seems absent in this mega testing procedure that is so centralized and levies exorbitant charges if the student wants to get their answers revaluated.
NTA CHARGES RS. 1000 PER QUESTION FOR REVALUTION!
The notification from National Testing Agency of 5 October 2020 for OMR challenge (i.e. to get the answer of each question revaluated ) tells us that for each question the student has to pay Rs. 1000 per question. This is nothing less than throwing poorer people out of the circles of higher education.
URGE A THOROUGH TIME BOUND TRANSPARENT PROBE INTO THE CONDUCT OF NEET RESULT DECLARATION
We urge the Ministry of Higher Education, Medical Council of India, Central Vigilance Commission, Supreme Court of India, High Courts, to conduct a probe into the conduct of NEET(UG) 2020 and result declaration of the NEET (UG) 2020. NEET is about health workers and health of India. How can health care be ensured if the selection process itself is so unhealthy and sick?
Who is responsible for the mental trauma and depression that students undergo after such shocking results? That too when they are already exhausted due to Covid-19 exam postponement pressures?
Best,
Dr Lubna Sarwath, State General Secretary, Socialist Party (India)
Dr Iqbal Jawed, Executive Committee mMember, Osmania Alumni Association, Hyderabad
