NEET-PG 2024 Exam: Question Papers to be Prepared Two Hours Before Exam

Members of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) student wing recently held a protest march to Raj Bhawan in Patna, voicing concerns over alleged irregularities in the NEET exam. (Photo: PTI)

According to a report by NDTV, the NEET-PG examination for admission to postgraduate medical courses is expected to take place this month. This announcement followed a meeting between the Ministry of Home Affairs and officials from the government’s anti-cybercrime body.

The report mentioned that the question paper for the exam will be prepared just two hours before the exam starts. The NEET-PG exam was initially scheduled for June 23 but was postponed at the last minute due to allegations of irregularities, including leaked papers in the undergraduate exam.

The government has stated that it will conduct a thorough review of the NEET-PG processes, which are managed by the National Board of Examinations for medical students. This decision was made to protect the interests of the students.

Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has set up a committee to investigate the complaints. Last month, the education minister confirmed possible irregularities in the NEET-UG and UGC-NET exams, following student concerns that questions were being sold on the darknet. This has brought attention to the National Testing Agency (NTA), which conducts both exams, and led to the dismissal of its chief, SK Singh.

The UGC-NET re-test, which was canceled two days after the initial exam, is now scheduled for July 25-27.

The NTA has faced criticism from students, parents, and opposition parties. Last week, a group from the National Students Union of India, the student wing of the Congress party, occupied NTA’s office in Delhi’s Okhla area. They accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of ruining the education system.

The NTA also received a notice from the Supreme Court, with a response due by July 8.

CBI Raid Uncovers NEET Frauds

Meanwhile, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is looking into the NEET-UG case, which has led to multiple arrests and raids on coaching centers, schools, and other locations across the country.

Last week, the CBI raided seven locations in Gujarat and arrested the principal of a school in Hazaribagh, Jharkhand, along with a journalist from a local Hindi newspaper. The CBI has filed six FIRs, including one when the case was handed over by the government. The other five FIRs involve three cases in Bihar and one each in Rajasthan and Maharashtra.

The controversy around the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) has turned into a major political issue. The Congress-led INDIA bloc, along with other opposition parties like Naveen Patnaik’s Biju Janata Dal (BJD), has criticized the ruling BJP.

NEET-UG 2024 Row

The controversy started last month after the results of the May 5 NEET exam, which was taken by nearly 2.4 million students, were announced. Concerns were raised because an unusually high number of students achieved perfect scores; a record 67 students, including six from one coaching center, scored the maximum 720 points. Additionally, questions were raised about the awarding of ‘grace marks’ to 1,563 students, which the NTA said was not part of the exam protocol.