Health Minister J P Nadda on Friday defended the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET), which is under the scanner over paper leak cases, saying medical education had become an open business before the NEET was introduced and PG seats were sold for ₹8 crore-13 crore each.
The minister intervened during a discussion on a private member’s bill on the NEET moved by Rajya Sabha member M Mohmed Abdulla and said corruption was rife in medical education before the NEET was brought in during his first stint as health minister.
“Medical education had become the den of a business. When I was health minister and was bringing NEET, one seat of post graduation was sold for ₹8 crore each and if you had to opt for a discipline like radiology then it was ₹12-13 crore,” Nadda said.
He said that before the NEET came in, students had to travel nationwide for medical exams.
The minister said that in addition to the money and time spent, the students also had to deal with huge corruption in the medical education system.
“The admission list used to be put up for 30-45 minutes and afterwards it use to be said students did not come, therefore, we are using these seats at our discretion. It had become a business. There was a vested interest. The matter was pending before the Supreme Court for long time,” Nadda said.