NEET UG 2025 Aspirant Challenges NTA: Supreme Court bench comprising Justices P.S. Narasimha and R. Mahadevan dismissed a petition filed by NEET‑UG 2025 candidate Shivam Gandhi Raina, who sought correction of an allegedly erroneous answer in the exam’s final key and a stay on counselling.
The National Testing Agency (NTA) conducted NEET UG on May 4, 2025, attended by approximately 23 lakh candidates. The provisional answer key was released on June 3, allowing objections and corrections in answer keys until June 5, with each question challenge costing ₹200.
One candidate from Mathura, Shivam Gandhi Raina, raised objections on June 4, citing discrepancies in three questions, nos. 52, 136, and 140. He backed his claim using NCERT Class XI Biology, which mentions adrenal cortical hormones regulating heart rate.
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As per the petitioner, the answer to Question No.136 (Code No.47) is wrong. The petitioner has secured an All India Rank of 6783 and a General Category Rank of 3195. It cost him 5 marks and lowered his All India Rank from an estimated ~6000 to 6783, preventing his entry into a better medical college.
Supreme Court’s Ruling
- The bench maintained that individual grievances cannot override the integrity of a truly nationwide examination.
- Justice Narasimha emphasized, “Even if multiple correct answers exist, the Court cannot interfere with an exam given by lakhs of candidates.”
- The petition was dismissed with no changes granted.
SC Bench’s Key Observations
- A similar petition regarding NEET‑UG 2024 had been dismissed previously, setting a precedent.
- The court acknowledged that while the petitioner might be “right on principle,” “to interfere in an all‑India exam at this stage will create…” significant disruption.
- The petitioner’s argument for independent expert review (e.g. IIT‑Delhi panel in 2024) was rejected, noting context-specificity and lack of systemic grievance.
Supreme Court Petition
On July 3, a writ petition titled Shivam Gandhi Raina v. NTA was filed in the Supreme Court by Abhay Raina, the Father of the Petitioner, on behalf of NEET UG 2025 candidate Shivam Raina. The plea alleges:
Join NEET News 2025 - Errors in the final answer key, especially Q.136 (Code 47).
- Violation of students’ rights, demanding that the final key be revised per NCERT, and the results recalculated.
- An interim stay on the counselling process until resolution.
The petition will be heard by a bench of Justices P.S. Narasimha and R. Mahadevan.
Impact on Counselling and Students
If accepted, the petition could delay the NEET UG counselling process, affecting thousands of candidates. It challenges the integrity of answer key calibration and fairness in rank determination.
This incident is not isolated. In previous years (e.g., 2024), controversies over grading algorithms led to massive litigation and even re‑exams, though systemic failure was not conclusively proven.
Critics now allege that procedures like delayed final answer key release and lack of transparency can open the floodgates to legal challenges and uncertainty.
What’s Next?
- Court Hearing: Set to take place soon in the Supreme Court.
- Possible Outcomes: Revision of the final key, score recalculation, delay or pause in counselling.
- Authorities’ Response: NTA and MCC to issue formal clarifications if directed.
- Precedent for Future: The judgment could redefine policies on answer key management and dispute resolution mechanisms.
