According to a city and centre-wise analysis of the results released by the NTA on Saturday, over 2,250 candidates scored zero marks while over 9,400 candidates scored negative marks.
An agitator holds a placard during a protest by the Youth Front of India over alleged irregularities in the NEET 2024 results, at Jandar Mandar in New Delhi, Monday, July 8, 2024. Credit: PTI file photo
New Delhi: Over 11,000 NEET-UG candidates scored zero or negative marks in the controversial medical entrance exam this year, according to centre-wise results of the National Testing Agency.
The lowest marks obtained by any candidate in the crucial exam was -180 at a centre in Bihar.
According to a city and centre-wise analysis of the results released by the NTA on Saturday, over 2,250 candidates scored zero marks while over 9,400 candidates scored negative marks.
Several candidates who scored less than zero marks at the centre in Hazaribagh, Jharkhand, are under suspicion.
Though several candidates from some centres scored zero marks, no clusters were observed as the number of such candidates from each centre was not very high.
According to officials, zero marks in the exam does not mean that the answer sheets were blank or no questions were solved.
“The candidate may have solved some questions correctly and some questions incorrectly, resulting in negative marking.
In NEET-UG, four marks are deducted for each correct answer and one mark is deducted for each wrong answer. Marks are not awarded or deducted for unattempted questions.
The NTA, which has been facing allegations of irregularities including paper leak, released the city-wise and centre-wise results of the medical entrance exam on Saturday.
Analysis of the data shows that while candidates who allegedly benefitted from the paper leak and other irregularities did not perform well, the number of students who performed well was higher in some centres.
Over 2,000 NEET-UG candidates from SIGAR centres have scored above 650 marks and over 4,000 have scored above 600 marks.
The massive result data of over 23 lakh candidates from 4,750 centres has not been released in aggregate form but in a drop-down menu for each centre. As lakhs of candidates await a final verdict on the fate of the exam, the information has been released on the direction of the Supreme Court, which is hearing several petitions regarding the irregularities.
The Supreme Court is hearing a batch of petitions alleging irregularities in the exam held on May 5 at 4,750 centres in 571 cities, including 14 cities abroad.
The apex court had ordered that the identity of the candidates be concealed and the results be declared. It had said that it wanted to find out whether those who took the exam at the allegedly tainted centres had scored more marks than those who took the exam elsewhere.
The court will hear arguments again on July 22 on the petitions seeking quashing of the candidates’ allegations of malpractice in the prestigious exam, re-election and a court-monitored trial.
