NEET row Opposition targets Centre, PM Modi over NEET paper-leak row amid protests by aspirants
New Delhi/IBNS: Opposition leaders have targeted the Centre over the massive row surrounding the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET), the all-India examination for admission to medical courses, that has sparked protests by aspirants in various parts of the country.
MK Stalin's DMK, which has been opposing NEET ever since it was introduced, has slammed the National Testing Agency for destroying the exam's sanctity.
The Congress has questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "silence" and demanded a Supreme Court-monitored probe.
Results for the medical entrance examination, in which 24 lakh students appeared on May 5, were declared on June 4, the same day of the 2024 Lok Sabha election's counting.
Following the declaration of the results, allegations of paper leak surfaced with as many as 67 students scoring the perfect score of 720/720. The cut-off has gone up exponentially, leaving many wondering if they would get a medical college seat at all.
The Supreme Court earlier issued notice to the central government and the National Testing Agency (NTA) on a batch of pleas seeking a probe into the alleged paper leak by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
The top court also issued a notice hearing a plea filed by NTA seeking the transfer of various cases pending in high courts on NEET-UG 2024 to the apex court.
Responding to the allegations, Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has said there is no evidence of paper leaks and claims of corruption in NTA are unfounded. "All the facts related to this are before the Supreme Court and are under consideration. The kind of politics being done on this issue is only an attempt to spread confusion and it affects the mental peace of the students," Pradhan said.
Targeting the Centre over the raging issue, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said grace marks are not the only problem. "There has been rigging, papers have been leaked, and corruption has taken place. The future of 24 lakh students appearing in the NEET examination is at stake due to the actions of the Modi government."
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has said the "scam in NEET" has devastated more than 24 lakh students and their families.
The party's general secretary, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, has said the Education Minister's "arrogant response" ignores the concerns of 24 lakh students and their parents.
Other INDIA allies have also joined the protest against the exam. RJD leader and Leader of Opposition in Bihar Assembly Tejasjwi Yadav said paper leaks are "inevitable" whenever the BJP is in power at the Centre or in the state.
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