Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan addressed the NEET controversy today, June 16, 2024, reaffirming the government's commitment to maintaining accountability and fairness. He highlighted that stringent actions would be taken against any officials found guilty of malpractice.

Pradhan stated, "Following the Supreme Court's recommendations, a re-test has been ordered for 1,563 candidates due to irregularities identified at two locations. The government is taking this matter very seriously. Any high-ranking officials of the NTA found guilty will face strict consequences. Significant improvements are necessary in the NTA. We are dedicated to ensuring that no wrongdoer escapes punishment."

Earlier, Pradhan explained in a press conference that the grace marks awarded to some students in NEET UG 2024 were due to time constraints. He announced that the affected 1,563 students have two options: retake the exam on June 23, with new scores released by June 30, or accept their original scores without grace marks. He emphasized that there is no evidence of a paper leak.

The National Testing Agency (NTA) informed the Supreme Court that it has established a committee to re-evaluate the results of candidates who received grace marks. The NTA has decided to cancel the original scorecards of these students and offer a re-test on June 23, with results expected by June 30. The NEET exam, initially held on May 5 across 4,750 centers for approximately 24 lakh students, has been marred by allegations of question paper leaks and unjustified grace marks, leading to protests and legal actions in various courts.