Amid allegations over the integrity of certain competitive examinations, the Centre has postponement of National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test-Postgraduate 2024 (NEET-PG 2024), which was scheduled to be held on June 23, Sunday. Meanwhile, as many as 1,563 NEET-UG 2024 candidates, who were given grace marks for loss of time, are set to appear for the retest across centres today.
Facing flak over alleged discrepancies in competitive exams, the Centre on Saturday shunted out National Testing Agency (NTA) Director General Subodh Singh and handed over the probe into irregularities in the medical entrance exam NEET-UG to the CBI.
The Education Ministry also set up a seven-member panel headed by former ISRO chief K Radhakrishnan to review the agency’s functioning and recommend exam reforms.
NEET PG Postponed
The Education Ministry has postponed the NEET-PG entrance, the fourth entrance exam to be impacted in recent days, calling it a “precautionary measure” in the wake of recent allegations on the integrity of certain competitive exams.
The fresh date of the examination will be notified at the earliest, the Union Health Ministry said.
“Taking into consideration, the recent incidents of allegations regarding the integrity of certain competitive examinations, the Ministry of Health has decided to undertake a thorough assessment of the robustness of processes of NEET-PG Entrance Examination, conducted by the National Board of Examination for medical students,” the ministry said in a statement.
The ministry said that the decision has been taken in the “best interests of the students and to maintain the sanctity of the examination process”.
Centre Orders CBI Probe in NEET UG-2024
“We stand for transparent, tamper-free and zero error examination. A panel has been formed on exam reforms, strict action has been taken against officials and the case has been handed over to CBI,” Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said.
“Students’ interest will be safeguarded at any cost,” he said after a flurry of decisions amid litigation and protests in different parts of the country on the issue of alleged irregularities in entrance exams.
The opposition hit out at the government, with the Congress alleging that the education system has been “ruined” under the Modi government.
NTA DG Shunted Out
According to officials, NTA DG Subodh Kumar Singh has been put on “compulsory wait” in the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) till further orders.
India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO) Chairman and Managing Director Pradeep Singh Kharola has been assigned additional charge of the NTA till the appointment of a regular incumbent.
“Certain cases of alleged irregularities, cheating, impersonation and malpractices have been reported in NEET-UG which was conducted on May 5.
“For transparency on the conduct of the examination process, it was decided after a review that the matter be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for comprehensive investigation,” the Ministry of Education said announcing the late-night decision.
Pradhan also asserted that anybody involved or responsible for any irregularity in NEET-UG will not be spared.
NEET-UG ‘Paper-Leak’ Case
Bihar Police on Friday night detained six more people from Jharkhand’s Deoghar district in connection with the alleged leak of NEET paper in the state, an official said. Its Economic Offences Unit last month arrested 13 people, including prime suspect Sikandar Yadavendu, in connection with the alleged paper leak.
The EOU is also exploring the “possibility of conducting narco analysis and brain mapping tests” of the accused, sources said.
They also indicated that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) might investigate the money laundering aspect.
A fresh plea was filed in the Supreme Court seeking directions to the CBI and the ED to investigate the alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG.
The petition, filed by 10 students who had appeared for the exam, has also sought a direction to Bihar Police to expedite the investigation in the case and file a report before the apex court.
The top court had earlier sought responses from the Centre, the NTA and others on a slew of petitions, including those seeking scrapping of the NEET-UG 2024 exam and a court-monitored probe. The apex court had also stayed further proceedings on similar pleas pending before different high courts.
The Education Ministry notified a seven-member panel headed by former ISRO chief K Radhakrishnan to ensure transparent, smooth and fair conduct of examinations through NTA.
The Centre has also operationalised a stringent law that aims to curb malpractices and irregularities in competitive examinations with provisions entailing a maximum jail term of 10 years and a fine of up to Rs 1 crore for offenders.
Nearly four months after President Droupadi Murmu gave her assent to The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, the Personnel Ministry on Friday night notified the law.
Irregularities in NEET UG
The examination was held on May 5 across 4,750 centres and around 24 lakh candidates appeared. The results were expected to be declared on June 14 but were announced on June 4.
As many as 67 students scored a perfect 720, unprecedented in the NTA’s history, with six from a centre in Haryana’s Faridabad figuring in the list, raising suspicions about irregularities.
There was also a controversy over grace marks awarded to students to make up for the loss of time at six centres. The Centre later told the apex court that the grace marks were being scrapped and these 1,563 students would be given an option of a retest.
The NTA will on Sunday conduct the retest for these students.
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.