NEET Controversy: No more malpractices and irregularities in exams, says Union Education Minister

NEW DELHI: Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan stated that the government would not tolerate any malpractice or irregularities in exam conduct, particularly regarding the National Testing Agency (NTA). He highlighted that accountability within the NTA would be established if any lapses were detected.

Regarding the recent controversy surrounding the medical entrance exam, National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), Dharmendra Pradhan addressed concerns about six centers where exam papers were mistakenly distributed, resulting in candidates being compensated with grace marks to offset lost time. He assured that every aspect was under scrutiny, and appropriate actions would be taken based on the nature of the lapses.

Dharmendra Pradhan reiterated that there should be no room for malpractice or irregularities in any examination, addressing the government's zero-tolerance policy on such matters. Responding to a query from PTI, he highlighted the importance of holding the NTA accountable if any lapses were identified during the examination process. These statements from Pradhan come at a time when the Congress has intensified its criticism of the government regarding the NEET-UG exam issue, highlighting prime minister Narendra Modi's silence on the matter.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge raised concerns about the NEET scam and urged for a supreme court-monitored forensic probe to protect the interests of countless young students. Kharge accused the Modi government of attempting to cover up the NEET scam through the education minister and the NTA.

However, Pradhan defended the recent changes in the NEET exam structure, attributing the rise in the number of toppers and cut-off marks to reduced syllabus content aligned with National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) standards and state board syllabi. He noted that this alignment had increased competition among candidates, resulting in more top scorers this year.