New Delhi:
A government-appointed committee has sought suggestions from students and parents to reform and/or restructure the National Testing Agency, the central body under-fire over multiple irregularities in conduct of the NEET-UG tests for admission to medical courses, and the UGC-NET exam, which sorts candidates for appointment to professorial posts in colleges and universities.
The committee – to be led by former ISRO Chairman Dr K Radhakrishnan – will accept suggestions and feedback via a special website – https://innovateindia.mygov.in/examination-reforms-nta/
The public can offer feedback till July 7.
NEET, NET In Parliament
Meanwhile, there was ruckus in both Parliament today as the opposition, particularly the Congress-led INDIA bloc, and the ruling BJP went head-to-head over the NEET and NET controversies.
Opposition benches rejuvenated by the Lok Sabha election results – which saw the BJP win only 240 seats against expectations of over 300 – have demanded a discussion on this issue.
READ | Lok Sabha Adjourned Till Monday Amid NEET Row
Congress leader KC Venugopal set the ball rolling with an adjournment motion in the Lok Sabha but the government, which yesterday said it was willing to have a discussion, seemed reluctant today, even as the House was rocked by the opposition’s protests. Eventually Parliament was adjourned till Monday.
NTA Office Stormed
On Thursday evening a 100-strong mob of workers from the NSUI, or National Students Union of India – the Congress’ student wing – barged into and briefly took over the Delhi office of the NTA.
READ | “Strictest Punishment For NEET Accused”: President Murmu
Visuals showed the protesters taking control of the premises with posters that said “no more corrupt NTA” and others shouting “NTA bandh karo, bandh karo”. The protest, though, was short-lived; the mob dispersed soon after taking over the building and a heavy police presence was deployed.
READ | Congress’s Student Wing Storms Exam Body NTA Office
The student wing’s protest came hours after the Congress’ youth wing, the Indian Youth Congress, protested near Parliament as President Droupadi Murmu addressed a joint session. On the NEET exam row, she said the government is “committed to a fair investigation” of the entire issue.
NEET Exam Row
Controversy over the NEET exam – nearly 24 lakh students took the May 5 qualifying exam for entrance to medical courses – broke this month after results were declared.
The first red flags were the unusually high number of perfect scores; a record 67 students, including six from one coaching centre, scored a maximum 720 in the uber-competitive exam. Questions were also asked over the award of ‘grace marks’ – not exam protocol, the NTA said – to 1,563 students.
After a flurry of arrests by police forces – from Bihar, Maharashtra, and Delhi – the CBI has taken over the investigation. Agency sources told The Hindkesharia nationwide corruption racket may be involved.
The agency this week made its first arrests.
READ | CBI Makes First Arrests In Bihar In NEET-UG Paper Leak Case
CBI sources said one accused – Manish Kumar – facilitated the transport of students to an empty school where they were given the leaked question paper to commit to memory, while the other – Ashutosh – provided lodging.
Supreme Court Notice
On Thursday afternoon the Supreme Court issued a notice to the exam body after a petition claimed the May NEET-UG exam had been rigged. The court directed the NTA to respond by July 8.
The petitioners, represented by a coaching centre and other students, argued for students’ right to access their Optical Mark Recognition (OMR) sheets.
READ | Supreme Court Notice To Exam Body Over NEET-UG Row
The two-judge bench – Justice Manoj Mishra and Justice SVN Bhatti – presiding over the case, questioned the fundamental rights allegedly violated by the NTA’s actions.
Political War Over Exam Row
The NEET (and UGC-NET) exam row has meant the ruling BJP and the Congress-led opposition have gone head-to-head in the early days of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s third term – over allegations of leaked question papers, preferential marking, and criminals running ‘solver gangs’.
READ | “NEET” Chants In Parliament As Education Minister Takes Oath
On Monday opposition benches heckled Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan – shouting “NEET” and “shame” – as he took his MP’s oath. Mr Pradhan has said the government is taking the issue of leaked question papers seriously and has formed a high-level investigative committee.
Mr Pradhan had earlier said the interest of the students was his department’s first priority.
The government has, meanwhile, operationalised a stringent law that aims to curb malpractices and irregularities in competitive examinations. A maximum jail term of 10 years and a fine of up to Rs 1 crore for offenders are some of the tough measures under the law.
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