NEET Exam Row: Dharmendra Pradhan Takes Moral Responsibility, Orders High-Level Committee
21 Jun 2024 7:28 AM GMT
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. (DC File Photo)
New Delhi: Taking moral responsibility for the “errors in Neet-UG examination (which was) limited to specific regions”, Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan said on Thursday that the “UGC-NET” question paper was leaked on the DarkNet and ordered the setting up of a high-level committee to suggest firewalls to further strengthen the National Testing Agency (NTA), which conducts entrance tests for admission into various courses.
The announcement of the high-level committee comes amid massive furore and political sparring over the alleged irregularities in the Neet-UG 2024 exam and the scrapping of the UGC-NET entrance test just a day after it was held on Tuesday.
The minister reiterated that the government is committed to holding zero-error exams and will have to rectify the system as the government is committed to safeguarding the interests of students.
The outcry against alleged irregularities grew louder on Thursday, with several student groups staging protests over alleged irregularities in both the tests and demanding a ban on NTA and the resignation of Mr Pradhan.
Extending solidarity with the students, the Congress said that it will protest at Parliament on Friday. The BJP, however, accused the Congress of indulging in petty politics as it asserted that the Centre is looking into the matter “very sensitively” and justice will be done with every student who appeared for the medical entrance test.
At a press conference, Mr Pradhan, however, said errors in Neet examination are limited to specific regions and strict action will be taken against any NTA official if found guilty. He also urged the Opposition parties to not politicise the issue, as isolated incidents should not affect lakhs of students who cleared the medical entrance exam rightfully.
On the cancellation of the UGC-NET examination for the selection of junior research fellows, assistant professors and PhD scholars, Mr Pradhan said the exam paper was leaked on DarkNet.
"Let us have faith in our systems and no irregularities or malpractices will be tolerated by the government," he said, adding that the high-level committee to review and improve the functioning of NTA would be notified soon.
DarkWeb, also known as DarkNet, is an encrypted Internet domain that is not indexed by conventional search engines like Google and is variously used by criminal gangs and international syndicates for illegal activities including drug peddling and gunrunning. Paper leak via DarkWeb marks a new trend in organised exam scams in the country.
Meanwhile, over two dozen students from different universities and members of various students' groups were detained in the national capital while they were protesting against the cancellation of the UGC-NET examination and irregularities in the Neet. The students were detained outside the Shastri Bhavan, which houses the education ministry, as well as outside Mr Pradhan's residence.
Earlier in the day, the education ministry stated that a day after the UGC-NET was cancelled, no complaints were received about the exam, but a suo moto action was taken on the basis of inputs available with them to protect students' interests.
"A fresh date for the exam will be announced soon," officials told the media, adding that the details of the inputs cannot be shared as the matter has been referred to the CBI and is currently under investigation.
The education ministry said it is waiting for a report from the Bihar police's economic offences unit on alleged irregularities in the conduct of Neet in Patna and will take further action on the basis of that. The ministry also summoned NTA D-G Subodh Kumar Singh to discuss the issue further.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court on Thursday sought responses from the Centre, NTA and others on a slew of petitions seeking scrapping of the Neet-UG 2024 exam and a court-monitored probe into the alleged irregularities in the medical entrance test. The apex court also stayed further proceedings on similar pleas pending before different high courts.
The top court, however, made it clear that it will not stay the counselling process for admission into the MBBS and allied courses.
A vacation bench of Justices Vikram Nath and S.V.N. Bhatti issued notices to the parties seeking their responses on four separate pleas filed by the NTA seeking the transfer of some pending petitions, including those claiming paper leaks, from high courts to the apex court.
As the bench issued notices on the NTA's petitions, the counsel appearing for the testing agency urged it to stay the related proceedings before different high courts.
The top court ordered: "Issue notice returnable on July 8. In the meantime, further proceedings before the high courts shall remain stayed."
While refusing to stay the counselling exercise, the bench said, "All this has been argued from day one and they (some petitioners) have been wanting stay of counselling. We have denied that."
"Ultimately, if all of you succeed, everything will go. The examination goes and the counselling will also go," the top court told the petitioners, one of whom sought deferment of the counselling until after July 8.
When the bench asked the NTA's lawyer about the counselling, he said it will start on July 6 and continue for a few more days.
The Neet examination was held on May 5 across 4,750 centres and around 24 lakh candidates appeared for it. The results were announced on June 4. As many as 67 students scored a perfect 720, with six from a centre in Haryana's Faridabad figuring in the list, raising suspicions about irregularities. It has been alleged that grace marks contributed to 67 students sharing the top rank.
The Neet-UG examination is conducted by the NTA for admissions to MBBS, BDS, AYUSH and other related courses in government and private institutions across the country.
( Source : Deccan Chronicle )
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