The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) Undergraduate (UG) examination, conducted on May 7, 2023, has stirred controversy as many candidates are now demanding an extra attempt claiming that the National Testing Agency (NTA) made a mistake in designing the question paper according to the syllabus recommended by the National Medical Commission (NMC). “We only get one opportunity in a year to clear the exam and it is unfair if such issues crop up,” says Subham Nikka Ram, an aspirant from Himachal Pradesh.
In a letter addressed to the concerned authorities, candidates highlighted the discrepancy between the information bulletin and the actual question paper. They draw attention to a specific passage, stating, "In the information bulletin of NEET UG 2023, it was explicitly mentioned on page 14 that the portions from the 'rationalised syllabus' would only be asked in Section B, which provides candidates with options to choose from. However, the question paper contained portions from the rationalised syllabus in Section A, which is a mandatory section without any choices."
According to the students, the inclusion of portions from the rationalised syllabus in the mandatory Section A has put the students at a disadvantage, as they were unaware of these topics. Subham explains, "Almost 27 questions from the rationalised syllabus appeared in Section A."
The students' letter further alleges that access to the deleted chapters of the old syllabus was limited to a few coaching institutes, leaving many students without adequate preparation. Adding to their frustration, the official website of the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) no longer contains textbooks with the old syllabus, making it nearly impossible for non-coaching institute candidates to study these topics.
Moreover, the letter presents a breakdown of the number of mandatory questions asked from the deleted syllabus in each subject, revealing, "The details of such questions are as follows: Zoology - 6 questions, Botany - 4 questions, Physics - 9 questions, and Chemistry - 8 questions."
Subham shares his disappointment, having stopped revising since the notice was issued on March 7 regarding the rationalised syllabus, resulting in missed questions in Section A.
Losing out on marks?
Another student aspirant from Andhra Pradesh, Sahasthra Reddy shares her angst saying, “So many students were affected by this and lost out on so many marks.”
In light of all these alleged discrepancies, candidates are demanding that authorities treat the matter with urgency, by cancellation or re-examination of the NEET UG 2023, or alternatively, provide a second attempt to the affected students.
Apart from the specific issue regarding the question paper, candidates also raise broader concerns about the NEET UG examination. They point out that NEET UG is the only exam for admission to all medical courses and conducting it only once a year places immense pressure on students to perform well in a single attempt. “Even Joint Entrance Examination takes place twice,” exclaims Subham in exasperation and adds, “The low ratio of NEET takers to available MBBS seats results in intense competition, and providing two opportunities to appear in NEET UG in a year would alleviate this pressure and increase students' chances of securing a medical seat.”
