What will happen to JEE (Main) 2021 exam result amid scandal?

The Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Main, 2021 examination, which was held on September 2, has been marred with controversy.

Investigative agency CBI has found irregularities in the Session 4 of this year's JEE (Main) examination. As per the reports, some candidates paid ₹15 lakh in exchange for someone else to take their test.

The CBI registered a case against Affinity Education Pvt Ltd and three directors --Siddharth Krishna, Vishwambhar Mani Tripathi, and Govind Varshney in connection with the JEE (Main) scam.

According to CBI spokesperson RC Joshi, the directors manipulated the online examination and facilitating aspiring students to get admission in top NITs in consideration of huge amount by solving the question paper of the applicant through remote access from a chosen examination centre in Sonepat, Haryana.

So far, the CBI has arrested seven people in connection with alleged cheating in the country's prestigious examination.

While the investigation is underway, students who have attempted the exam have found themselves in an ambiguous situation. That's because whether the scandal would mean cancellation of this year's result? If JEE Main is cancelled then what would happen to JEE Advanced?

As per the rules, the National Testing Agency (NTA), reserves the right to cancel exam at the centres which have been allegedly compromised.

In such cases, a candidate's highest score is considered.

However, there can be students whose highest marks would have been in the said cancelled attempt, such students would have to bear the brunt.

However, it is unlikely that the entire exam would be cancelled as already Covid pandemic has impacted the academic schedule.

And, if the entire JEE (Main) gets cancelled then it might take months for the preparation of another entrance examination.

Besides, colleges and universities will also have to change their academic schedule accordingly.

The JEE Main comprises two papers. The Paper1 is conducted for admission to Undergraduate Engineering Programs (B.E/B. Tech) at NITs, IIITs, other Centrally Funded Technical Institutions (CFTIs), Institutions/Universities funded/recognized by participating State Governments, as well as an eligibility test for JEE (Advanced), which is conducted for admission to IITs.

The NTA had announced the JEE Main result 2021 for Session 3 on August 7 in which 17 candidates scored 100 percentile.