NEET UG 2024: Hindi Medium Students Get English Question Papers, NTA Issues Clarification

The NEET 2024 exam, in which about 120 test-takers from the Girls' High School Model School Examination Center participated, was organized to ensure that the incident did not hamper academic activities. 

The National Testing Agency (NTA) conducted the National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET) (UG) at 571 examination centres on 05 May 2024 in India and abroad. However, in one NEET UG exam centre, Hindi medium students were given NEET questions in English. This diffusion of wrong question papers by the centre director enraged the candidates and some were left outside the exam centre with the NEET UG question paper.

During the NEET (UG) 2024 examination, NTA came to know that there was a wrong distribution of question papers at the examination centre, Girls Higher Secondary Model School, Mandir, Mantown, Sawai Madhopur. Despite this, some students left the examination centre with question papers and papers. Read the official announcement or notifications. Let's see what happened and how the NTA will handle the matter.

What Happened During NEET 2024?

On May 5, 2024, more than 1.5 million students from all over India appeared for the NEET UG exam to secure a seat in medical and dental colleges. However, soon after the exam started, reports started doing the rounds that many Hindi medium candidates were given questions in English instead of their chosen language. This mistake caused a major disturbance to the concerned students while they were preparing for the Hindi exam.

The problem appeared to be localized and was reported by several testing centres in different states. Some aspirants and their parents instantly took to social media to express their concerns and tagged the NTA and the Ministry of Education demanding a solution to the confusion.

Impact on Hindi Medium Students

Getting question papers in a different language can seriously affect a student's performance, mainly in an important exam like NEET. Many Hindi-medium students found it difficult to understand and answer the questions, which created stress and anxiety which will affect them regarding their future or career. The confusion started by the confusion disrupted the course of the exam, and some students felt more threatened than the actual language examiners. 

Their parents and teachers have expressed worry about the potential impact on student performance and their chances of getting into medical or dental school. The controversy also sparked debate and conflict over NTA's grade management and quality control processes.

NTA's Response and Clarification:

After widespread reports of the confusion, the NTA released a public statement acknowledging the mistake and clarifying the matter. The agency apologized for the incident and assured the public that it was investigating the reason for the error. The NTA's response included the following main points:

1. NTA has confirmed that due to logistical disruptions at certain exam centres, some Indian students were asked questions in English.

2. The NTA said an investigation is currently ongoing to resolve the root cause of the error. The agency is committed to identifying the cause of the problem and implementing corrective measures to prevent future incidents.

3. The NTA said it is exploring ways to support students affected by the problem. This support may include retests, extra time, or other compensatory measures to ensure that the student's performance is not unfairly affected.

4. The NTA has reaffirmed its commitment to fair and open examinations and emphasized that it will take steps to address the problem and reduce the negative impact on candidates. 

Examination of 120 Affected Students Held Ensuring Academic Aspirations are Not Hindered

The NTA further clarifies that fairness and equality of opportunity are the rights of all NEET candidates. Thus, students suffering from the wrong distribution of NEET question papers were given an equal chance to appear in the exam so that their hard work did not go in vain.

To support the principles of justice and equal opportunities for all candidates, NTA has taken bold steps. About 120 candidates will be taken to the Examination of the Girls' Model School Examination Center, on 05 May 2024. to ensure that this incident should not hamper their academic aspirations." The official notification from NTA explains further.