New Delhi

Amidst the alleged irregularities in the NEET examination 2024, Union Minister for Education, Dharmendra Pradhan, said that the Centre promised the Supreme Court during a hearing that it was committed to having a transparent, temper-free and zero-error examination system.

Holding a press conference in New Delhi hours after the apex court on Tuesday declined to cancel the NEET-UG 2024 exam, Dharmendra Pradhan said, "For us, zero tolerance of any kind of breach is our priority when it comes to exams for students, be it for higher education or jobs. So, the Modi government has brought into effect a strict law like the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act.

Reacting to the Top Court ruling, he said, "Presenting our side before the Supreme Court, we have promised that our government is committed to having a transparent, tamper-free and zero-error examination system."

Dharmendra Pradhan also announced a high-level committee for a total overhaul of the National Testing Agency (NTA).

"Taking this commitment forward, we announced a high-level committee for a complete revamp of the NTA. That committee is working with dedication...The committee has collected expert opinions and studied various models...They will submit a report soon," he said.

He also reached out to the students, who have been at the centre of protests triggered by the alleged irregularities in the NEET examination in 2024, the Union Minister said, "I would like to assure the youth and students of the country that we are committed to making NTA error-free. In this process, all those involved in these irregularities will not be spared. Strict legal action will be taken. CBI is doing its job..."

The Supreme Court today held that there was no systemic breach in the exam.

A bench of Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra said that at the present stage, there is an absence of material on record to lead to the conclusion that the result of the exam is vitiated or that there is any systematic breach.

It said the data on record is not indicative of a systemic leak of the NEET-UG question paper, which would indicate a disruption of the sanctity of the exam.

However, it acknowledged the fact that the leak of the NEET-UG paper took place at Hazaribagh and Patna and said that it is "not in dispute".

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 The apex court also said that the report submitted by the government shows probe is on and the central agency indicates that material shows 155 students drawn from the exam centres at Hazaribagh and Patna appeared to be the beneficiaries of the fraud.