SC stays order, NEET results to be out soon

New Delhi, October 28

The Supreme Court on Thursday paved the way for this year’s admission to undergraduate medical courses across India as it allowed the National Testing Agency to declare the National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET) results.

The NEET was conducted on September 12 for 16,14,777 candidates at 3,682 centres in 202 cities. It involved 9,548 centre superintendents/deputy superintendents, 5,615 observers, 2,69,378 invigilators and 220 city co-ordinators, the top court was told.

A Bench led by Justice LN Rao stayed the Bombay HC’s October 20 order restraining the NTA from declaring the results. The HC has asked the NTA to conduct re-examination for two aspirants — Vaishanavi Bhopali and Abhishek Shivaji — whose OMR sheets had got mixed up at a centre in Maharashtra.

“We stay the high court judgment. The NAT can announce the results,” the Bench said after taking note of the submissions of Solicitor General Tushar Mehta. “We will decide what happens to the two students upon reopening (after Diwali vacation). Meanwhile, we issue notice and file a counter. But we cannot hold the results of 16 lakh students,” it said. — TNS