Over 11,000 NEET-UG candidates scored zero, negative marks

More than 11,000 NEET-UG candidates have scored zero or negative marks in the controversy-ridden medical entrance exam in 2024, according to the centre-wise results announced by the National Testing Agency (NTA).

The lowest marks scored by any candidate in the crucial exam is -180 at a centre in Bihar.

According to an analysis of the city and centre-wise results released on Saturday, 20 July, by the NTA, over 2,250 candidates have scored zero marks, while over 9,400 candidates have scored marks in negative.

There are several candidates at the centre under scanner in Jharkhand's Hazaribagh who have scored less than zero marks.

While there are multiple candidates from few centres who have scored zero marks, no clusters are seen as the number of such candidates from each centre is not very high.

According to officials, zero marks in the exam doesn't necessarily mean the answer sheets were blank or no questions were attempted.

"It is possible that the candidate attempted some questions right and some questions wrong which led to negative marking.

In the NEET-UG, for every correct answer, four marks are awarded and for every incorrect answer, one mark is deducted. No marks are awarded or deducted for questions that are not attempted.

The NTA on Saturday released city- and centre-wise results of the medical entrance exam which is under the scanner over alleged irregularities, including paper leak.

An analysis of data indicated that while the candidates who allegedly benefitted from the paper leak and other irregularities have not done well, some centres have a high concentration of well-performing students.

More than 2,000 NEET-UG candidates from Sikar centres scored above 650 marks while over 4,000 have scored above 600 marks.

The voluminous result data of over 23 lakh candidates from 4,750 centres was not released in a cumulative format but in a drop-down menu for each centre. The data was released on the direction of the Supreme Court which is hearing several petitions over the alleged irregularities as lakhs of aspirants await a final verdict on fate of the exam.

The Supreme Court is hearing several petitions about the alleged irregularities in the conduct of the test on 5 May at 4,750 centres in 571 cities, including 14 cities abroad.

The top court had ordered that the results be announced while masking the identities of aspirants. It had said it wanted to ascertain whether candidates appearing at allegedly tainted centres secured more marks than those writing the exam elsewhere.

The court will resume hearing the arguments in the matter on 22 July on a batch of pleas seeking cancellation, re-test and a court-monitored probe into the allegations of malpractice in the prestigious exam.