NEET-UG Exam Under Fire as Congress Demands Redo Amidst Leak Allegations

Confusion reigned on Saturday as rumors swirled about the postponement of NEET-UG counselling for medical college admissions. While these rumors initially suggested a delay in the counselling process, the Health Ministry later clarified that no dates had been officially announced, thus dismissing the claims of postponement.

The NEET-UG exam, held on May 5th with results declared on June 4th, has been embroiled in controversy due to allegations of paper leaks and other irregularities. Capitalizing on these concerns, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh criticized the government’s handling of the situation, stating that the “non-biological PM and his biological Education Minister” were jeopardizing the future of lakhs of students with their incompetence.

Adding fuel to the fire, the National Testing Agency (NTA) recently cancelled the UGC-NET exam due to a paper leak on the dark web and postponed the NEET-PG exam, raising further doubts about the integrity of national examinations. While a fresh NEET-UG exam was conducted for 1563 students who were awarded grace marks earlier, the Centre has maintained that a complete cancellation is unwarranted without concrete evidence of widespread malpractice.

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge has joined the chorus demanding a re-examination. He accused the Modi government of lying to the Supreme Court about the absence of leaks and misleading the public about the extent of irregularities. Kharge called for a Supreme Court-monitored investigation into all paper leak scandals and emphasized the need for online, transparent exams in the future.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while addressing the Rajya Sabha, assured students that the government would take strict action against those involved in cheating and scams. However, he expressed concern over the politicization of the issue, stating that it could have detrimental effects on the nation’s future.

As the controversy surrounding the NEET-UG exam continues, the future of over 2 million students hangs in the balance. With demands for a re-examination growing louder, it remains to be seen how the government will address these concerns and restore faith in the examination process.