June 24th 2024.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has recently taken over five new cases involving alleged malpractices in the NEET-UG (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test) medical entrance exam. These cases were previously being investigated by police in Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Bihar. This development has caused quite a stir in the political arena, with the opposition gearing up to confront the government in Parliament over the issue of paper leaks.
In addition to this, the Maharashtra police's Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has also made an arrest in connection with a racket that was helping NEET students cheat by paying money. A school teacher from Latur was arrested and a case was registered against four others involved in the racket. This news has only added fuel to the fire, with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi to abolish NEET and go back to the old system of states conducting their own exams.
Many opposition MPs have also raised their concerns on the first day of the 18th Lok Sabha, stating that the government will have to answer for the hardships faced by lakhs of students due to these irregularities. As Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan took oath in Lok Sabha, opposition members shouted "NEET, NEET" to highlight the issue.
On Saturday, the Centre had removed the Director General of the National Testing Agency (NTA) Subodh Singh and handed over the probe into the NEET-UG irregularities to the CBI. The agency is now investigating a total of six cases related to this matter. Pradeep Singh Kharola has taken over as the additional charge of NTA and has held meetings with officials to discuss the functioning of the testing body.
The Education Ministry has also set up a seven-member panel headed by former ISRO chief K Radhakrishnan to review the NTA's functioning and recommend exam reforms. The panel was scheduled to meet on Monday evening. Pradhan has stated that this is the first step in a series of measures to improve the efficiency of the examination process and put an end to malpractices.
Under the newly introduced anti-paper leak law, the Centre has also mandated the National Recruitment Agency to prepare norms, standards, and guidelines for computer-based tests. The Public Examinations Rules, 2024 also have provisions for engaging the services of other government agencies, preparing norms and standards, and reporting any incidents of unfair means or offenses.
Officials at the CBI have stated that they have re-registered one case each from Gujarat and Bihar, and three cases from Rajasthan as their own FIR. They are also likely to take up another case from Latur in Maharashtra. However, they have mentioned that except for the Bihar case, the other four appear to be isolated incidents of impersonation and cheating by local officials, invigilators, and candidates.
After taking over these new cases, the CBI is now investigating a total of six cases related to NEET-UG irregularities. In addition to this, the Economic Offences Unit of the Bihar Police has arrested five more persons, taking the total number of arrests to 18. The Centre has received criticism for these alleged irregularities in NEET-UG and UGC-NET (National Eligibility Test).
In a letter to the Prime Minister, TMC chief Mamata Banerjee has called for strong action against those involved in these irregularities and has urged the government to consider going back to the old system of state-conducted exams. Shiv Sena MP Anil Desai also stated that the issue of NEET-UG requires more than just arresting a few individuals, claiming the involvement of a broader network.
RJD MP Manoj Jha has claimed that there is a close connection between those named in the paper leaks and leaders of the JD (Janta Dal) and BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party). It has also been reported that the UGC-NET exam was cancelled a day after it was conducted due to inputs about its integrity being compromised. Both the NEET-PG (Post Graduate) and CSIR-UGC NET exams have also been cancelled by the government in light of these controversies.
Meanwhile, the Congress-affiliated National Students' Union of India (NSUI) held a protest at Jantar Mantar, demanding action against those involved in these irregularities. However, their planned march to Parliament was met with police barricades, and more than two dozen students, including some NSUI members, were detained. This issue has caused a lot of chaos and uncertainty, leaving students and their families worried about their future.
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