HC orders release of NEET-UG result for student from Godhra centre

Ahmedabad: A student who appeared for the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET-UG) at a controversial school in Godhra last year will get her result following orders issued by the Gujarat high court, some 10 months after the exam.
Kulsum Kothi appeared in the NEET-UG exam at Jay Jalaram School in Godhra on May 5, 2024, where the Panchmahal district administration conducted a raid and exposed a racket of alleged malpractice and paper leak. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) took over the probe in the case after a countrywide scam was suspected. Kothi's result was withheld by the National Testing Agency (NTA), claiming that the CBI was suspicious of their involvement. The NTA cited CBI summons issued to the student and her father, Firdos Kothi, under provisions of sections 91 and 160 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC).
After the investigation, the CBI filed a chargesheet in Sep 2024 against five persons, including the trustee of Jay Jalaram School. Kothi's name did not appear in the chargesheet, but the NTA did not declare her result despite repeated requests. She filed a petition in the high court in Jan and submitted that the CBI chargesheet was silent about them and the NTA was still not declaring her NEET-UG result.
Upon the high court's notice, the CBI replied, "The petitioner and her father, Sh. Mohammed Firdos Kothi, were examined by the investigating agency at Godhra. During the examination, the father of the candidate revealed that the applicant was appearing for the examination from Jay Jalaram School Godhra and was not well. He contacted the accused, Tusharbhai Rajnikant Bhatt (A-1), to take care of the candidate in case she had any issue during the examination. The digital and documentary evidence collected to date did not reveal any incriminating fact related to the petitioner and her father."
Following the CBI's reply, Justice Nirzar Desai stated, "When after extensive investigation and when the chargesheet is filed, nothing is found against the present petitioner, the petition is required to be allowed in terms of the prayer made. The respondents are directed to publish the result of the petitioner in connection with the NEET (UG) Examination, 2024, which has been kept on hold at the earliest but in any case not later than 15 days from the date of receipt of the order."