The National Medical Commission (NMC) has directed immediate suspension of 26 MBBS students found complicit in NEET-UG 2024 malpractices and cancelled admission of 14 students for the academic year 2024-25 for resorting to unfair means during the entrance exam, an official source said.
National Eligibility cum Entrance Test, or NEET, is a pan-India exam to taken by aspirants to get admission into the country's medical colleges.
As part of the ongoing investigations by multiple agencies into the NEET-UG 2024 paper leak case, the National Testing Agency identified instances of unfair means and debarred 42 candidates for three years — 2024,2025, 2026 —- from taking the NEET-UG.
It also debarred nine candidates for 2025 and 2026 sessions.
The candidature of 215 candidates who appeared in the NEET-UG 2024 exam has been put on hold pending an investigation, the source said.
The action against the students has been initiated based on the findings of the Central Bureau of Investigation which is investigating the cases.
"Given the severity of these violations and their potential to undermine the credibility of the medical education system, the National Medical Commission has issued directives to the concerned medical colleges and institutions to immediately suspend the 26 MBBS students found to be complicit," the source said.
The Commission stressed a "zero-tolerance" policy towards academic fraud and said it was committed to taking all measures to uphold integrity, transparency, and accountability in medical admissions.
The directive comes ahead of the NEET-UG 2025 scheduled for May 4.
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