Opposition insists on discussion on NEET exam scandal, Parliament adjourned for the day

Both the Houses of Parliament faced disruptions and adjournments on Friday with the Opposition pushing for discussion on irregularities in the conduct of NEET-UG medical exam.

As the proceedings began with INDIA bloc leaders raising demand for discussion on the NEET exam scandal, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said Opposition leaders can raise this issue during replying to motion of thanks on the Presidential address.

“I have received 22 notices on the NEET paper leak case. The President has already indicated in her speech in paragraph 20 that there would be a fair investigation into irregularities in NEET,” the Speaker said, and adjourned the House for the first time till 12 noon after Rahul Gandhi press the Opposition’s demand for a discussion on the issue.

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During a meeting of the INDIA bloc leaders on Thursday, it was decided to corner the government on the youth related issue. Congress MP B Manickam Tagore wrote to the Lok Sabha Secretary-General, giving a notice for suspension of business of the House for discussion of a definite matter of urgent importance on “unprecedented cases of paper leaks in the conduct of exams, including the NEET-UG and UGC-NET, and the failure of the National Testing Agency (NTA).“

Since the Opposition was adamant, the Lok Sabha, which reconvened at 12, was adjourned for the day to meet on Monday. Similar notices were served in the Rajya Sabha by Congress MPs, Dr Syed Naseet Hussain and Ranjeet Ranjan, seeking a discussion on the irregularities in the NEET-UG exam. Other Opposition parties also joined in raising the issue.

Rajya Sabha, however, was also adjourned for the day.

Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan arrives at the Parliament to attend the session, in New Delhi on Friday | Photo Credit: ANI

Outside Parliament, former Congress President Rahul Gandhi said it was “unfortunate” that Opposition was not allowed to have a constructive debate on the NEET exam and the prevailing paper leak. “The INDIA Opposition bloc wants to have a constructive debate with the Government on the NEET exam and the prevailing paper leak issue. It is unfortunate that we weren’t allowed to do so in Parliament today. This is a serious concern that is causing anxiety to lakhs of families across India. We urge the Prime Minister to debate on this issue and give the students the respect they deserve,” he posted on X.

Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said the government is ready for discussion on the medical entrance exam NEET but that should take place as per tradition and by maintaining decorum.

‘Patronage’ to Ahemdabad-based agency

Meanwhile, the Congress General Secretary in-charge of communications alleged that the Modi government is offering “patronage” to an Ahmedabad-based exam conducting company, despite the organisation being implicated in several paper leaks, including the infamous UP Police Constable Recruitment Exam that affected 49 lakh candidates.

“The NET and NEET are just the latest examples – the last ten years have seen rampant paper leaks and malfeasance around competitive exams across the country. At last count, 2.26 crore youth across the country have been impacted by these paper leaks,” Ramesh posted on X.

“It’s reflective of the Modi Government’s incompetence, but also of its corruption. An Ahmedabad-based exam conducting company, implicated in several paper leaks, including the infamous UP Police Constable Recruitment Exam that affected 48 lakh candidates, has been receiving repeated patronage from the Modi Government and BJP State Governments across the country. The UP and Bihar Governments have blacklisted the firm, but even as of October 2023, the Modi Government continued giving them contracts, to the tune of 80 crores,” he alleged in his post.

“Why? Because the firm’s proprietor is an ideological and political supporter of the BJP. Pictured here are the एक तिहाई Pradhan Mantri with the accused,” he said.

The Education Ministry has already sought a CBI inquiry to carry out a country-wide investigation into the NEET paper leak and other irregularities in the conduct of the exam by the NTA. It has also instituted a high-level inquiry into the functioning of the NTA, given reports of wide-scale compromise of the examination procedure. As of now, the CBI is investigating six such cases and has arrested two persons from Bihar for their alleged involvement in leaking the NEET paper.

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