Kerala assembly passes resolution urging Centre to conduct comprehensive investigation into NEET irregularities

Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], June 26 (ANI): The Kerala Legislative Assembly unanimously passed a resolution demanding the central government on Wednesday to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the alleged irregularities in the conduct of NEET and NET examinations by the National Testing Agency (NTA).

LDF MLA M Vijin moved the motion in the assembly which was supported by both the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) led by Congress.

MLA Vijin alleged that the central government and the BJP are supporting the exam mafia that conducts the exams.

“How can a government which cannot conduct these exams safely ensure the security of the country? NTA has committed gross negligence in conducting the exam. About 24 lakh students depend on this examination. Paper leaks happened. There was widespread corruption in the conduct of NEET 2024,” the legislator said in the assembly.

“Bihar’s Patna and Gujarat’s Godhra are the two epicentres we are seeing. This mafia, even asked Students who have lakhs to spend to leave blank papers. In Haryana, six students who got full marks appeared for the exam at the house of a BJP leader’s relative. 67 first-rank holders this time, this is something which we have never heard in the history of these exams. Even after all this NTA and union government from the beginning has been trying to say there is no lapse,” he added.

Kerala higher education minister R Bindu moved a substantial resolution under rule 275 on the irregularities in conducting NEET- UG and UGC-NET examinations in the country.

Bindu said that the irregularities in conducting the NEET examination have destroyed the hopes and dreams of lakhs of students and parents.

“By giving grace marks unscientifically to some students to solve the time lapses in the examination conducted in several batches has caused to get some students undeserving marks. The students who wrote examinations in a centre in Haryana got 720 marks out of 720, some students got 718 and 719 marks which was impossible, and the question papers leaked through social media in Bihar and Rajasthan and the method of deciding time break based on application number of applicants have questioned the credibility of the examination. Union government has said in the supreme court that to avoid grace marks re-examination will be conducted and the education minister has taken a stand that there is no evidence for the leakage of question papers,” Minister Bindu said in the assembly.

The Minister further said that the cancelling of several entrance examinations including NEET-PG following the alleged irregularities over NEET-UG caused mental and financial stress to lakhs of students.

“NTA which is responsible for conducting examinations without lapses has repeatedly proved that they cannot do this. NEET examination was introduced after cancelling the state-level examination which was conducted very effectively. Assembly strongly condemns the actions of NTA which put lakhs of students and parents from Kerala in concern and their future in uncertainty and the union government who strongly supports NTA,” the Minister added.

The assembly also demanded the central government take immediate action to relieve the fear and anxiety of lakhs of students and parents waiting for medical admission.

The Union Education Ministry said it had constituted a high-level committee of experts to make recommendations on reforms in the mechanism of the examination process, improvements in data security protocols, and the functioning of the NTA. The 7-member committee, led by ISRO former chairman Dr K Radhakrishnan, will submit its report to the ministry in the next two months.

The opposition is demanding to scrap the testing agency after an unprecedented 67 candidates achieved a perfect score of 720 marks out of 720, which added to the concerns.

The Central Bureau of Investigation registered a criminal case based on a written complaint from the Director of the Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education over the NEET irregularities. As per the agency’s FIR, certain “isolated incidents” occurred in a few states during the conduct of the NEET (UG) 2024 examination which was held on May 5, 2024. Special teams have been formed by the CBI to investigate the matter.

Amid the NEET row, the Education Ministry cancelled the UGC-NET exam held on June 18 and postponed the NEET-PG 2024 examinations a day ahead of its scheduled date.