Why the number of toppers in NEET UG results was so high this year, NTA explains through an official notification

NEET UG was conducted on May 5, 2024, from 2 pm to 5.20 pm IST at 4750 Centres in 571 cities (including 14 cities abroad) for more than 24 lakh candidates.

Published on: Jun 7, 2024, 12:06:23 IST

By HT Education Desk, New Delhi

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The National Testing Agency (NTA) in an official press release issued clarifications regarding recent queries and concerns raised by the candidates who attempted the NEET-UG 2024 examination. The exam was conducted by the NTA on May 5, 2024, from 2 pm to 5.20 pm IST at 4750 Centres in 571 cities (including 14 cities abroad) for more than 24 lakh candidates.

The average marks scored by qualified candidates out of 720 marks this year is 323.55 while it was 279.41 in 2023 (HT file)

Candidates had raised concerns regarding the number of toppers this year, to which NTA replied by saying that out of the 67 candidates who got 720/720 marks, 44 are on account of the revision in one Answer Key of Physics and 06 are on account of compensatory marks for loss of time.

“The cutoff scores are determined based on the overall performance of candidates each year. The increase in cutoff reflects the competitive nature of the examination and the higher performance standards achieved by the candidates this year,” mentioned NTA in the press release.

Also Read: NEET-2024: Grace marks disturb rank tally; aspirants worried

The average marks scored by qualified candidates out of 720 marks this year is 323.55 while it was 279.41 in 2023. The minimum score to qualify in the UR category this year is 164 while in 2023 it was 137.

NTA also responded by saying that some candidates who had attempted NEET UG 2024 filed Writ Petitions before the Hon’ble High Court of Punjab & Haryana, Delhi, and Chhattisgarh, raising concerns of loss of exam time during the conduct of NEET (UG) 2024 on 05.05.2024, at few Exam Centres.

“The loss of examination time was ascertained and such candidates were compensated with marks based on their answering efficiency and time lost, as per the mechanism/ formula established by the Hon’ble Apex Court, vide its judgment dated 13.06.2018 in W.P. 551 of 2018. 1563 candidates were compensated for the loss of time and the revised marks of such candidates vary from -20 to 720 marks. Amongst these, the score of two candidates also happens to be 718 and 719 marks respectively due to compensatory marks,” said the NTA.

Also Read: NCERT book changes, grace marks for time loss led to higher scores in NEET: NTA

Regarding the candidates who resorted to unfair means, the agency said that cases were registered and actions taken in UFM cases are in accordance with existing rules, including the cancellation of candidature and debarment from future examinations of NTA.

NTA also issued a clarification that no case of paper leak had occurred as being circulated on social media and maintained that the integrity of the examination was not compromised.

Also Read: NEET UG 2024: NTA explains why an unprecedented 67 students got AIR 1 rank this year

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HT Education Desk
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