NEET UG 2024 sees 67 toppers due to NCERT book changes

chennai: the neet ug 2024 results revealed a record 67 students achieving the top all india rank (air), sparking concerns about the impact on cut-offs and admissions.the national testing agency (nta) attributed this anomaly to changes in ncert textbooks. a chemistry question about atom stability had conflicting correct answers in the old and new ncert books. consequently, the nta awarded 5 marks to students who selected either answer, boosting 44 students' scores from 715 to 720 and increasing the number of top scorers.while this was a major factor, the nta noted that the relative ease of the exam and a significant rise in registrations also contributed. this year, neet ug saw a record 23.81 lakh registrations, up from 20.87 lakh last year, with a 96.94% overall attendance.the nta assured that the number of seats available for all categories remains unchanged, and the easier exam ensures that no group will suffer.