NEET-UG 2024 Irregularities: Rahul Gandhi vows to be students' voice in parliament

NEW DELHI: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi hit out at Prime Minister-designate Narendra Modi on June 9 over the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test-Undergraduate (NEET-UG) medical entrance row, alleging that the "irregularities" in the examination have devastated more than 24 lakh students even before Modi takes oath for a new term in office. Rahul Gandhi assured students that he would become their voice in Parliament and strongly raise issues related to their future.

In a post in Hindi on X, Rahul Gandhi said, "Narendra Modi has not even taken oath yet, and the irregularities in the NEET exam have devastated more than 24 lakh students and their families."

"Six students from a single exam center topped the exam with maximum marks, while many got marks that are technically not possible, but the government is continuously denying the possibility of a paper leak," the former Congress chief said. He added that the Congress had made a robust plan to deal with this 'paper leak industry' running in connivance with the education mafia and the government machinery.

"We had pledged in our manifesto to give students 'freedom from paper leaks' by making a law," he said. "Today, I assure all the students of the country that I will become your voice in Parliament and strongly raise the issues related to your future," Rahul Gandhi added. He asserted that the youth have expressed faith in the Indian National Development Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc, which will not let their voice be suppressed.

Amid allegations of inflated marks in the NEET-UG medical entrance exam, the National Testing Agency (NTA) announced on June 8 that the education ministry has set up a four-member panel to review the grace marks awarded to more than 1,500 candidates.

The NTA has denied any irregularities and said the changes made in the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) textbooks and grace marks for losing time at the examination centers were some of the reasons behind students scoring higher marks. The issue has taken a political turn, with several parties raising concerns about the authenticity of the national exam for medical courses.

[PTI copy edited by Team Careers360]