NEET-UG 2021 : Supreme Court Issues Notice On Plea Alleging Rigging Of OMR Sheets, Discrepancy In Final Results

NEET-UG 2021 : Supreme Court Issues Notice On Plea Alleging Rigging Of OMR Sheets, Discrepancy In Final Results

Shruti Kakkar29 Nov 2021 3:59 PM

The Supreme Court on Monday issued notice in a writ petition preferred by 6 NEET-UG candidates who allege rigging of their OMR sheets after the publication of the answer keys by the National Testing Agency.

Alleging widespread discrepancies in NTA's scoring process, the petitioners challenge their marks and ranks secured in the test which was conducted on September 12, 2021 by the National Testing Agency.

The matter was listed before the bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and AS Bopanna.

It has been argued that there was a huge difference between the marks which the petitioners had calculated based on the answer keys published by the NTA and the final marks declared by the NTA on November 1, 2021. One of the petitioners allege that his score as per the answer key was 584 but the final result showed 164. According to another petitioner, his score based on the answer key was 675 but the final result showed 52 marks. Another petitioner's final score was zero, though his estimate as per the answer key was 545 marks.

"It appears that to be massive rigging in the screening of the OMR sheet soon after the publication of the answer keys and consequent uploading of OMR sheet for self assessment and before the actual declaration of result and score card on NTA's website which has resulted in glaring discrepancy in the marks obtained by the petitioners," the petition states.

Referring to the comparative tabulation of marks, the petitioners have contended that it is "manifestly evident" that there has been a huge margin in the scores obtained by them.

It has further been averred that something is utterly wrong on NTA's part which needs to be addressed by instituting investigations against the authority.

Petitioners in their petition have referred to the news for leaking the question paper and criminal conspiracy to sabotage the fair process of exam in regards to which several FIR's were registered at different places in India.

The sum and substance of the initial investigation in these FIR's had established rampant use of unscrupulous means and unfair practices to manipulate the results for benefiting the rich and non merit candidates, the petitioners have stated.

In light of this background it has been stated in the petition that,

"There are malpractices and corrupt practices which are undergoing on at the levels which the innocent, deserving and meritorious petitioners cannot imagine which has resulted in arbitrariness and rejection of meritorious candidates and as such is violative of their rights under Article 14 of the Constitution of India."

The matter will be next heard on December 13, 2021.

Senior Advocate Manoj Swarup with Rajan Kumar Singh (AOR) and Rakesh kumar Singh Advocate appeared for the Petitioners

The petition is filed through Advocate on Record Ranjan Kumar Singh.

Case : WP(C) 1286/2021

Expert: Covishield, Covaxin may offer protection against Omicron

Expert: Covishield, Covaxin may offer protection against Omicron

Umesh.Isalkar@timesgroup.com

Pune:30.11.2021

Covishield and Covaxin jabs can prevent hospitalisation and death of patients infected with the new Botswana variant Omicron (B.1.1.529), novel coronavirus’s most mutated version as yet, a noted infectious diseases expert has said.

“Theoretically, it is possible that the new variant of concern (Omicron) may challenge vaccines’ efficacy. But, we know that our vaccines prevent hospitalization and death, and the same may be potent against the Omicron variant. People must take two doses of the vaccine — either Covishield or Covaxin — and adhere to Covid-19-appropriate behaviour, especially that of wearing a mask, to ward off infection from such variants,” said senior scientist Raman Gangakhedkar, former head of the epidemiology and communicable diseases division of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

Gangakhedkar is one of the 26 members of the WHO team appointed to examine the origins of pathogens such as SARS-CoV-2 that cause pandemics. “There is not enough data yet to understand Omicron’s ability to evade vaccine or a natural infection-induced immune response. Hence, we should continue to enhance coverage in vaccine rollout, so that hospitalisation does not increase. Unvaccinated people must take two doses of the vaccine and those who have taken one dose must take the second dose at the earliest,” Gangakhedkar said.

The second dose boosts not only virus-specific antibodies but also the T cells (T-lymphocytes), which are memory cells and part of the broader immune response against the virus, Gangakhedkar said, advising strict adherence to the two-dose regime.

Disease-causing properties of this variant, like transmissibility, potential to cause severity and immune evasion either from vaccination or previous infection with other variants, are unclear as yet.

“More studies are needed to delineate whether previous exposure to the Delta strain or currently available vaccines will shield us against severe illness due to Omicron,” infectious diseases expert Sanjay Pujari, a member of the National Covid Task Force, told TOI. India’s advantage lies in the knowledge that a majority of the population has encountered the virus and acquired immunity, senior clinical epidemiologist Amitav Banerjee said.

Omicron: wary world slams doors shut

Omicron: wary world slams doors shut

New cases in Portugal and Scotland may point towards local spread of the variant, fear officials

30/11/2021

Warning bells: People waiting to be transported to a quarantine facility after arriving at an airport in Japan. AFP

Associated Press Brussels

Taking an act-now-ask-questions-later approach, countries around the world slammed their doors shut again to try to keep the new Omicron variant at bay on Monday as more cases of the mutant coronavirus emerged and scientists raced to figure out just how dangerous it might be.

Japan announced it would bar entry of all foreign visitors, joining Israel in doing so just days after the variant was identified by researchers in South Africa. Morocco banned all incoming flights. Other countries, including the U.S. and European Union members, have moved to prohibit travellers arriving from southern Africa.

Travellers infected with the new version have turned up in a widening circle of countries over the past few days, including Spain, and cases in Portugal and Scotland have raised fears that the variant may already be spreading locally.

“Many of us might think we are done with COVID-19. It’s not done with us,” warned Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the World Health Organization.

The infections have underscored the difficulty in keeping the virus in check in a globalised world of jet travel and open borders. Yet, many countries are trying to do just that, against the urging of the WHO, which noted that border closings often have limited effect and can wreak havoc on lives and livelihoods. Some argued that such restrictions could provide valuable time to analyse the new variant.

“This time the world showed it is learning,” said EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, singling out South African President Cyril Ramaphosa for praise.

“South Africa’s analytic work and transparency and sharing its results was indispensable in allowing a swift global response. It no doubt saved many lives.”

Late last week, Ms. von der Leyen successfully pushed the 27-nation EU to agree to ban flights from seven southern African nations, similar to what many other countries are doing.

Cases had already been reported in EU nations Belgium, Denmark and the Netherlands before Portuguese authorities identified 13 Omicron infections among members of the Belenenses professional football team. Authorities reported one member had recently travelled to South Africa.

Spain also reported its first confirmed case of the variant. It was detected in a traveller who returned on Sunday from South Africa after making a stopover in Amsterdam. And after Scotland reported its first six cases, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon warned that “there might already be some community transmission of this variant”.

Taking no chances, Japan, which has yet to detect any Omicron cases, reimposed border controls that it had eased earlier this month. “We are taking the step as an emergency precaution to prevent a worst-case scenario in Japan,” Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said. The new measures begin on Tuesday.

26k students bought PINs for medical and allied courses

26k students bought PINs for medical and allied courses

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Ahmedabad:30.11.2021

The Admission Committee for Professional Undergraduate Medical Educational Courses (ACPUGMEC) on Monday said it has completed the registration process for state quota in medical, dental, homeopathy and Ayurveda courses for the academic year 2021-22.

The committee has also completed the registration process for self-financed Ayurveda and homeopathy courses for 15% All India Quota, it said. A total of 26,186 candidates have purchased the personal identification number (PIN), according to a media statement. Of these 5,453 are from the open category.

All candidates qualifying NEET (UG) - 2019 are eligible for All India Quota and other quotas under the state governments/institutes, irrespective of the medium of the examination, subject to other eligibility criteria.

The admission committee started online registrations for medical, dental, homeopathic and Ayurveda seats from November 17.

There are 30 medical colleges in the state with 5,550 MBBS seats, 12 dental colleges with 1,255 seats, 2,242 seats in 33 Ayurveda colleges and 36 colleges having a total capacity of 3,710 seats. In all there are 12,707 seats for which the Admission Committee for Professional Under Graduate Medical Educational Courses (ACPUGMEC) will undertake the admission process this year.

Clarity on Omicron awaited: WHO

Clarity on Omicron awaited: WHO

30/11/2021

Staff Reporter HYDERABAD

The constant flow of information about Omicron has left people wondering about the efficacy of vaccines against the new variant of concern, the rate of transmission, concerns about a third wave of coronavirus and severity of infection caused by the variant, among other aspects.

On Sunday, the World Health Organisation (WHO) communicated all that is currently known about its transmissibility, severity, effectiveness of test and vaccines and treatment required. For a majority of the aspects, however, WHO stated that clarity is yet to be gained. In their communication titled ‘Update on Omicron’, WHO said it is not yet clear whether Omicron is more transmissible and causes more severe disease compared to infections with other variants, including Delta. To gain better understanding of Omicron, WHO is coordinating with researchers from across the world.

Not a cause for panic: Biden

Not a cause for panic: Biden

30/11/2021

 Agence France-Presse Washington

President Joe Biden on Monday told Americans not to “panic” over the new COVID-19 variant Omicron and said he does not foresee new lockdowns or extending travel restrictions for now.

The variant “is a cause for concern, not a cause for panic”, Mr. Biden said.

He stressed that the United States was in a good position to control Omicron’s spread without having to resort to lockdowns or more travel bans beyond restrictions already imposed on eight southern African countries.

“We have more tools today to fight the variant than we’ve ever had before,” he said, adding that his chief medical adviser Anthony Fauci expects current vaccines to work against the new variant, with boosters enhancing protection.

Agence France-Presse London

30/11/2021

Agence France-Presse London

All adults in Britain will now be eligible for a third COVID-19 jab, the Government said on Monday, as concern mounted about the spread of the Omicron variant. The move, backed by a scientific advisory body and Health Secretary Sajid Javid, comes as Ministers scramble to react swiftly to the new variant.

Until now, only adults aged 40 and above were eligible for a booster dose six months after their last. But that time-frame will now be halved to three months, alongside the programme’s expansion to all over-18s, with priority given to older people.

“These measures will protect more people, more quickly and make us better protected as a nation,” Mr. Javid told MPs. He noted it was “a huge step up” for the vaccination scheme, which was launched last December, almost doubling the number of people eligible for a booster.