Why NBE never releases NEET PG answer keys - THE PUBLIC NEWS 24

August 29, 2024 - By Alok Shukla

It’s been three days since the results of the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test for Postgraduate (NEET PG) admissions for 2024 were released on August 23, and candidates have raised concerns over several discrepancies in their results. These include instances where 300 candidates scored the same ranks, improper rationalization between marks in the two shifts, and inflated ranks.

Amid the growing outrage, candidates have united around two primary demands: the release of raw and rationalized scores, and the publication of the answer keys for both shifts of the exam.

These demands highlight a significant trust deficit between the National Board of Examinations for Medical Sciences (NBEMS) and medical aspirants. The lack of transparency in the exam process, many aspirants and medical experts claim, has only fueled this distrust.

Same Story Every Year

"Year after year, the NBE conducts exams without releasing the answer keys," says Dr. Dhruv Chauhan, National Council Member of the Indian Medical Association - Junior Doctors’ Network (IMA - JDN). He notes that this year's controversies have only deepened doubts about the fairness of the NEET PG examination.

To recall, the NEET PG was initially scheduled for June 23 but was abruptly canceled on June 22, just 12 hours before the exam. The NBEMS later rescheduled the exam for August 11, with plans to conduct it in two shifts to prevent security breaches, and normalize the scores accordingly.

When the admit slips were released on July 31, candidates found that their allotted exam centers were not based on their listed preferences and were often far from their cities of residence. Despite petitioning the Supreme Court to postpone the exam, their requests were denied.

"We anticipated these discrepancies," said Dr. Chauhan, reflecting on the widespread concerns.

Many candidates now believe that the NBEMS should release the question-and-answer keys for both shifts to clarify the confusion surrounding their scores. "If we could see where we gained and lost marks, it would help us understand our scores better," says Anu* (name changed), a NEET PG candidate.

However, she remains skeptical that the NBEMS will comply, citing its history of opacity. "From rescheduling the exam twice this year to arbitrarily allocating distant centers, the NBE has not been transparent about any of these decisions," she adds.

In contrast, most competitive exams in India, including the Joint Entrance Exam (JEE), Common University Entrance Test (CUET), and the Union Public Service Commission Civil Service Examination (UPSC CSE), routinely release answer keys after the exams conclude.

"How much can a candidate remember from their performance out of memory? It is important we see our OMR sheets and the question-answer keys, to know how we scored," Anu emphasizes.

A Legal Precedent

In 2022, two NEET PG candidates petitioned the Supreme Court after discovering discrepancies in their scores, only to be denied a chance to recheck their results by the NBEMS. Their petition highlighted the violation of established norms for competitive exams and referenced the Supreme Court’s 2011 judgment in the CBSE v Aditya Bandopadhyay case, which affirmed an examinee's right to access their answer sheets under the Right to Information Act.

Despite these arguments, the petition was dismissed by the Supreme Court.

Candidates argue that the NBE’s lack of openness leaves room for doubt and speculation about the integrity of the exam process. "For all we know, the exam could have been compromised, and the scores were manipulated as a cover-up," says Madhu* (name changed), another NEET PG candidate. "The NBEMS might be withholding the answer keys to prevent candidates from uncovering this."

Such suspicions, driven by a lack of transparency, are not uncommon, Dr. Chauhan notes.

Opacity to Blame

This opacity has only exacerbated the stress, anxiety, and disappointment felt by candidates. "I wonder whether appearing for NEET PG next year is worth it, with such processes in place," Anu laments.

Dr. Chauhan underscores that this is the first time NEET PG aspirants have reported discrepancies in their scores on such a large scale, and the NBEMS owes them an explanation or, at the very least, a clarification.

"On what basis were the scores rationalized? Why did so many candidates receive the same percentile? The NBEMS should open a portal for candidates to share their grievances and address them," he asserts.

As the controversy unfolds, candidates and experts alike are calling for greater transparency from the NBEMS, which they believe is essential to restoring trust in the examination process.