Politics · India Bureau
SC maintains HPEC composition despite NEET-UG protests, demands accountability first
India's Supreme Court has rejected calls to reconstitute the High-Powered Enquiry Committee examining the controversial NEET-UG examination, insisting that an investigation into allegations of excessive force and procedural lapses must proceed before any structural changes.
LSN India ·
The Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to alter the composition of the High-Powered Enquiry Committee (HPEC) tasked with investigating irregularities surrounding the NEET-UG entrance examination, despite mounting pressure from petitioners demanding changes to the panel's structure.
The bench expressed displeasure at what it characterized as premature criticism of the HPEC from petitioners' counsel, noting that such disparagement had begun even before the committee commenced substantive work. The court underscored the importance of allowing the inquiry to proceed unimpeded before entertaining suggestions for institutional restructuring.
The decision comes amid intensifying student agitation over alleged exam anomalies and reports of heavy-handed police responses during protests. The bench indicated that a thorough examination of claims regarding the use of pellet guns and other alleged excesses during crowd control operations must be completed as a prerequisite to any broader institutional reforms.
The HPEC, constituted to address multiple concerns surrounding the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test for undergraduate medical aspirants, will now proceed with its mandate to investigate examination administration and police conduct during related demonstrations. The court's stance suggests a sequential approach, prioritizing factual findings before considering structural modifications to investigating bodies.