NEET UG Row 2024 Updates: AAP to continue protest again NEET controversy today (2024)

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will today continue the protest the political party started on Tuesday. The political party has been questioning the ruling party on alleged NEET paper leak since the beginning.

NEET Exam ??? ?????? ?? ??????? ?? ????? ??? AAP ?? ????? ??? ? pic.twitter.com/hwd64Gauzb

— AAP (@AamAadmiParty) June 19, 2024

"The Karnataka government's stand is that we are opposing it. It's a huge scandal. I would like to congratulate Dharmendra Pradhan on his statement...It's unfair to have a re-exam for a few students. It must be done for everyone," says Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar.

(ANI)

As always, Narendra Modi is maintaining silence on the issue of playing with the future of more than 24 lakh students in the NEET exam.The arrests in Bihar, Gujarat and Haryana clearly indicate that there is systematic organised corruption in the examination and these BJP ruled states have become the epicenter of paper leaks.

In our judicial document, we had guaranteed to secure the future of the youth by making a strict law against paper leaks.

NEET ??????? ??? 24 ??? ?? ???? ??????? ?? ?????? ?? ??? ??? ??????? ?? ?? ??????? ???? ????? ?? ??? ??? ???? ??? ??? ????

?????, ?????? ?? ??????? ??? ??? ???????????? ?? ??? ?? ?? ??????? ??? ????????? ????? ?? ?????? ?????????? ??? ?? ?? ?? ????? ????? ????? ???? ??? ??…

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) June 18, 2024

The students and their parents are on protesting on the streets. They are demanding that the NEET UG should be conducted again, but the government is not listening to them. He is engaged in whitewashing.

The education minister of the country is not ready to accept the NEET scam. They are wondering for how long people will raise their voice, but let me tell them that AAP has pledged to save the future of the country and we will continuously raise our voice for it.

?? ????? ?? ???? ????-???? ?????? ?? ???? ?? ???? ?? ??? ??? ?? NEET ?? Exam ?? ?????? ????? ???, ????? ????? ???? ??? ???? ??? ??? ??? ?? ???????? ??? ??? ??? ???

??? ?? ?????? ?????? NEET ?????? ?? ????? ?? ????? ???? ???? ?? ??? ??? ??? ?? ??? ????? ??? ?? ????? ????????,… pic.twitter.com/clhdZbGExl

— AAP (@AamAadmiParty) June 18, 2024

The Supreme Court has directed the NTA to address any negligence, even if minimal, in the NEET-UG 2024 exam. Litigation should not be hostile and the court has asked for prompt action on petitions regarding grace marks and question paper leaks. 67 students scoring a perfect 720 has raised doubts of irregularities, leading to the cancellation of grace marks for 1,563 candidates by the Centre and NTA. --PTI

The AAP leaders said: "NTA has betrayed the central government and the children of the country. Children's dreams and future have been betrayed.Cases of paper leak also came to light in Bihar and Gujarat, but the central government remained silent. They kept trying to hide this fraud. The Central Government should conduct an independent investigation in this matter and it should be under the supervision of the Supreme Court.This is a question of the future of millions of children of 10th, 11th and 12th and AAP will strongly raise the voice of these children.

#WATCH | Delhi | Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) holds protest against Union Government over NEET exam result issue, at Jantar Mantar pic.twitter.com/MbviAYlbsh

— ANI (@ANI) June 18, 2024

"It is shameful that the government is giving the youth a sting like police recruitment paper leak or NEET exam scam in the name of employment. Instead of solving the question of the future of hardworking youth. UP govt has turned Uttar Pradesh into a state where answers are leaked before every exam. The youth are missing both their hopes and age," tweeted Shivpal Singh Yadav from Samajwadi Party.

??????? ?? ?? ????? ?????? ?? ?????? ?? ??? ?? ????? ????? ???? ??? ?? #NEET_Exam_Escam ???? ??? ?? ??? ????
???????? ???????? ?? ?????? ?? ???? ?? ???? ?? ??? @UPGovt ?? ?? ??????? ?? ???? ????? ??? ???? ???? ????? ?????? ??? ???? ???
?????? ?? ?????? ? ????, ????? ??? ??? ????

— Shivpal Singh Yadav (@shivpalsinghyad) June 18, 2024

"

The National Testing Agency has blamed the NCERT for the 'grace marks' fiasco in NEET 2024. That is only drawing attention away from the NTA's own abject failures.

However it is true that the NCERT is no longer a professional institution. It has been functioning as an RSS affiliate since 2014. It has just been revealed that its revised Class XI political science textbook criticises the idea of secularism as well as what it considers policies of political parties in this regard. NCERT's objective is to produce textbooks, not political pamphlets and propaganda

NCERT is mounting an assault on our country's Constitution in whose Preamble secularism features explicitly as a foundational pillar of the Indian republic. Various Supreme Court judgments have clearly held secularism to be an essential part of the basic structure of the Constitution.

NCERT needs to remind itself that it the National Council for Educational Research and Training, not the Nagpur or Narendra Council for Educational Research and Training. All of its textbooks are now of dubious quality vastly different from those that shaped me in school."

The National Testing Agency has blamed the NCERT for the 'grace marks' fiasco in NEET 2024. That is only drawing attention away from the NTA's own abject failures.

However it is true that the NCERT is no longer a professional institution. It has been functioning as an RSS…

— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) June 17, 2024

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Monday lashed out at the Modi government over irregularities in competitive exams and said the ruling dispensation should at least keep matters of the youth free from its 'all-round corruption'.

The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister also termed the leaking of question papers of various examinations as a 'mental tragedy'.

'Leaking of papers of various exams, rigging from exam centres to solvers, the work of the exam conducting agency coming under suspicion, manipulation of grace marks in results, getting desired centres, multiple candidates getting selected from the same centre and getting 100 per cent marks are not just problems of exam management. Above all, it is a mental tragedy that is affecting not only the youth appearing for the exam but also their parents,' Yadav said in a post on 'X' in Hindi.

'If other examinations like police recruitment, ARO, NEET, which have been rigged are cancelled and held again, then who will guarantee that no such scam will happen the next time the exam is conducted. When the government is the same and its system is also the same, then all these scams may again become a means of earning money for the government-protected 'examination mafia',' he said.

'Hence, the government should also look at this crisis from a psychological point of view and at least keep the matters of the youth free from its all-round corruption ('chautarfa bhrastachar'). This is a question of the country's future...,' Yadav said.

(PTI)

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Thursday said the Centre agreeing to cancel grace marks awarded in NEET 2024 is another admission of its own 'ineptitude' and batted for restoration of the role of state governments in deciding the method of selection for MBBS.
The CM, in a post on X said: "The Union Government's attempt to wriggle out of the recent #NEET scam by agreeing to cancellation of grace marks is another admission of their own ineptitude. It should not be allowed to divert the attention away from the core problems of irregularities and unprofessional conduct of exams, after taking away the right of States.
While condemning their incompetence as well apathy towards the agony of lakhs of students, we reiterate that the only solution for this issue is to restore the role of state governments in deciding the method of selection for MBBS courses." In Tamil Nadu, the ruling DMK, main opposition AIADMK and other parties barring the BJP are opposed to NEET and seek its abolition.

- PTI

The father daughter duo appeared from different centres in Delhi NCR — Vikas from Greater Noida centre and his daughter Meemansa (18) from Noida centre.

“I was initially apprehensive considering my age but then I got to know that a 60-year-old man in Odisha in 2021 qualified NEET as well,” said Mangotra who finds teaching interesting. "I have always been fascinated with teaching since my school days and I only studied for four months in my 2022 attempt,” he added.

Read more

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said the government would take strong actions against functionaries of the National Testing Agency (NTA) if they were found to be involved in irregularities in the conduct of the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), 2024.

Pradhan made this statement during his visit to Sambalpur in Odisha on Sunday. He said two types of irregularities in the conduct of NEET have come to the limelight.

As per preliminary information, grace marks have been awarded to some students as they were dissatisfied as they were allotted less time than the prescribed duration, he said. The government has disapproved the grace marks, and directed re-examination for 1,563 students as per the Supreme Court order, the education minister said.

'Additional wrongdoings have also come to the fore in two locations. I assure both students and parents that the government has taken the issue very seriously. We will take it to a logical end,' he said.

If any officials including senior functionaries of NTA are found guilty, they will not be spared and strong action will be taken against them, he said. The union education minister also advocated for reforms in the NTA.

'A lot of reforms are required in NTA's functioning though it is an autonomous institution. The government is concerned about this. I want to reassure that no culprit will be spared, strict action will be taken against them,' he added.

The NEET-UG examination, which is the gateway for admission to undergraduate-level medical courses in India, was conducted on May 5 at 4,750 centres across 571 cities in India. The results were declared on June 4. After the results were declared, parents and teachers began questioning the grace marks awarded to 1,563 students.

(PTI)

Aam Aadmi Party will hold a protest tomorrow at Jantar Mantar at 10 am against NEET UG. While, on Wednesday (June 19) the Party will protest against the Modi government in all the states of the country.

NEET Exam ??? ?? ?????????? ?? ?????? ????? ??? ???? ?? ???? ?? ?? ???? ?????? ??????? ?? ??? ???? ???

??: ?? AAP ?? ??? ???????? ?????, ?????? ?? ?????? ???? ???? ?? ?????? ????? ?? ????? ????? ???????? ???????

?? 18 ??? 2024, ???????
? ???? 10 ???
? ????-????, ?? ??????… pic.twitter.com/DDjrZhQt3A

— AAP (@AamAadmiParty) June 17, 2024

The government will not tolerate any malpractice or irregularities in the conduct of exams and accountability of the National Testing Agency will be fixed if lapses are found, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said on Friday amid a row over medical entrance exam NEET.

About action taken against six centres where the exam paper was wrongly distributed and candidates had to be compensated with grace marks to make up for the loss of time, he said, "Every aspect is being looked into. Accountability will be fixed and depending upon the nature of lapse action will be taken." "There is no scope for any malpractice or irregularities in the conduct of any exam. We will not tolerate that. The accountability of the National Testing Agency (NTA) will also be fixed if lapses are found," Pradhan said in response to a question by PTI.

The comments by the minister came on a day when Congress stepped up its attack on the government over the NEET-UG exam issue and questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "silence" on the matter. The opposition party asserted that only a Supreme Court-monitored forensic probe can safeguard the future of lakhs of young students.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge claimed the Modi government has started "covering up the NEET scam" through the Union education minister and NTA.

"They have just lost the elections and are now looking for a new issue. We have the facts and misleading students and the public based on lies is not right," he added.

Explaining the rationale behind the rise in the number of toppers and cut-off marks this year, Pradhan said the syllabus for NEET was reduced as per the syllabus rationalised by NCERT.

"In previous years, the NEET syllabus wasn't cut down. This year we also aligned the questions with the state boards' syllabus. Less syllabus and more number of candidates also led to the rise in competition and ultimately increase in the number of top scorers," the Union education minister said.

(PTI)

On Tuesday, the Supreme Court, while hearing a petition seeking cancellation of the exams amid allegations of leakage of the NEET-UG paper, said the exam “sanctity has been affected” and sought answers from the NTA and the Centre.

“It’s not so simple that because you have done it (conducted the exam), it’s sacrosanct. We need answers for that… The sanctity has been affected. So we need answers,” Justice Ahsanuddin Amanullah, part of a two-judge bench, told the NTA counsel.

. #NEET ?????? ??? ???? ?????? !

?? ????, ????? = ???? ??? ???, ???? ???, FIR ??, ???? ???, ??? ??? ???? ??, ????? ???????? ??, ????? ????? ??? ???, ???? ?? ??? ??? ?? ??????, ???? ????????? ????

?? ?????, ?????? = ??????, ??????? ? ?????? ?? ?????? ?? ????? ????? ?? 1,000… pic.twitter.com/7RPyDsVWHv

— Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) June 17, 2024

Speaking to The Indian Express, Additional Director General of Police, EOU, N H Khan said, “We had asked a set of questions to the National Testing Agency, which organises NEET. Our team has just received answers. We may have some follow-up questions. We have been working on some contacts we have received in the course of our investigation, which is very much suggestive of a paper leak.”

Read here more

'This awarding of grace marks needs to be reversed, and the orchestration investigated. Can you order a CBI investigation into the NEET scam, Dharmendra Pradhan?' Congress Kerala tweeted on June 16.

In the NEET-2024 results, this question was interpreted as both True and False based on a pre-2019 textbook. Consequently, grace marks were awarded to lakks of students who answered it incorrectly. This resulted in 44 out of 67 students who achieved the first rank having only 715… pic.twitter.com/FOAbOeDqit

— Congress Kerala (@INCKerala) June 16, 2024

'One nation, one demand; Cancel the NEET exam,' former UPSC CM, Akhilesh Yadav tweeted on June 16.

?? ???, ?? ?? ????
???? ?? NEET ??????#NEET#RENEET#neetscam#neetscam2024#NEETfraud#neet2024#NEET_reconduct#medical#mbbs#justiceforneet#NEET???????????#NEET_????_????_???#NEET_???????_??????#JusticeForNEETAspirants

— Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) June 16, 2024

The Economic Offences Unit (EOU) of Bihar Police has recovered six post-dated cheques which were suspected to have been issued in favour of mafia demanding over Rs 30 lakh from each candidate seeking alleged leaked question paper ahead of NEET held last month.

"During the course of investigation, EOU sleuths recovered six post-dated cheques that were issued in the favour of criminals who reportedly facilitated question papers to the aspirants ahead of the examination," Manavjit Singh Dhillon, Deputy Inspector General (DIG), EOU, told PTI on Sunday.

Investigators are ascertaining details about account holders from the banks concerned, he added.

The EOU has so far arrested 13 people, including four examinees and their family members, in connection with the alleged NEET-UG 2024 paper leak case. All accused belong to Bihar, said the DIG.

The EOU has also issued notices to nine candidates (seven from Bihar and one each from Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra) to join the probe, he added.

The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET-UG) 2024 was conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) at 4,750 centres in 571 cities for more than 24 lakh candidates.

The result of the NEET-UG 2024 was declared on June 4. As soon as the results were declared, there was an uproar, with many students alleging discrepancies.

A group of candidates has approached the Supreme Court demanding a fresh exam due to alleged paper leaks and concerns about the test's integrity.

According to sources, it is suspected that nine aspirants, along with four other examinees from Bihar who have already been arrested by the EOU, received the exam's question paper and answers in a 'safe house' near Patna a day before it was conducted on May 5.

During interrogation, the aspirants disclosed that their parents had paid more than Rs 30 lakh for every candidate to those who facilitated questions papers ahead of the exam.

"The evidence of the transaction has also been found and six post-dated cheques have also been recovered during the course of investigation. The EOU sleuths also recovered partially burnt question papers from the safe house.

"We have sought reference question papers from the NTA. It has not responded to this so far. Once we get reference question papers from the NTA, we will send the burnt question paper to the appropriate forensic laboratory for its examination," the DIG said.

The NEET-UG examination is conducted by the NTA for admissions to MBBS, BDS, AYUSH and other related courses in government and private institutions across the country.

Sources in the EOU further said that investigation has so far revealed that the question papers of NEET-UG and their answers were provided to around 35 aspirants before the May 5 exam.

Candidates from different places in Bihar were brought to a rented accommodation at Ramkrishna Nagar in Patna, where they were provided with the question papers and answers. Police conducted a search at the rented premise and recovered mobile phones, admit cards and other incriminating documents, the sources said.

(PTI)

"Two types of irregularities have come to light in connection with NEET. The initial information was that some students were given grace marks due to less time...secondly, some irregularities have come to light at two places. I assure the students and parents that the government has taken this seriously. We have received the information, we will take all the issues to a decisive stage. Whatever big officials are there in this, they will not be spared. A lot of improvement is required in NTA. The government is concerned about this, no culprit will be spared, they will get the harshest punishment," Pradhan told media today.

#WATCH ???????, ?????: ???????? ?????? ?????? ????????? ?????? ?? ???, "NEET ?? ????? ??? 2 ?????? ?? ????????? ?? ???? ????? ??? ??? ????????? ??????? ?? ?? ??? ??????? ?? ?? ??? ????? ?? ???? ???? ????? ???? ??? ??...????? 2 ????? ?? ??? ?????????? ????? ?? ???? ??? ?????? ??… pic.twitter.com/BfW8pBYoHw

— ANI_HindiNews (@AHindinews) June 16, 2024

Expressing his views on the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) undergraduate exam issue, Union Minister Giriraj Singh said that the decision on 1,563 candidates who got "grace marks" has been taken as per the students' conformity.

Union Minister Giriraj Singh said, "Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan held cordial talks with representatives of students and parents. The decision on almost 1,563 candidates has been taken as per the students' conformity, I hope that Dharmendra Pradhan will work very seriously on this matter." Earlier, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan assured students that a transparent process will be followed and they should not worry.

"The government assures the students that full transparency will be adopted in the probe into alleged irregularities and re-conducting the NEET exams. The students do not need to worry," Pradhan said while speaking to ANI.
"Students who wanted to meet us, I called them, their parents also came, I met them. I heard their side and I made them feel better.

The government is committed, and all students should have this assurance that a transparent process will be followed. 24 lakh students were the applicants, and 23.30 lakh students have taken the exam, this is natural, whatever doubts come to their minds, some issues came to mind that some irregularities in the centre were noticed, due to lack of time for grace marks, some objections were raised in the formula used for giving grace marks, that was also rectified", he added.

Pradhan further stated, "The Supreme Court permitted them to take the exam again, they have been informed. Those who want to take the exam can take the exam there as well".

However, the education minister ruled out the possibility of any irregularities in the NEET-UG examination, stating that there has been "no paper leak" in the NEET-UG paper and the government is ready to give answers to the Supreme Court which is hearing the petitions related to the exam.

"I want to assure the students and their parents that the Government of India and NTA are committed to providing justice to them.

Twenty-four lakh students have successfully taken the NEET examination. There is no paper leak, no proof has been found yet. A court-recommended model was adopted for around 1560 students and a panel of academicians has been formed for the same...We will accept the verdict of the Court," he said.

Meanwhile, the National Testing Agency (NTA) told the Supreme Court that the scorecards of 1563 candidates who got "grace marks" in the 2024 National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (undergraduate) exam will be cancelled and the candidates will have a chance to reappear for the exam.

(ANI)

NTA claims that 17 students were getting a 720/720 score and six students out of the 1,563 candidates were awarded ‘grace marks’ ended up in the top ranks.

In addition to this, a total of 44 other students got crowned with AIR 1 as they got an answer to a physics question wrong – and received “grace marks” for that. As per NTA, a multiple-choice Physics question on atoms had an incorrect statement in an old NCERT book. However, on May 29, NTA released its provisional answer key which showed that Option 1 is correct, and that was challenged by 13,373 students who claimed that NTA’s answer did not match with old NCERT books. The NTA states that the question paper was drafted from the new NCERT book.

This decision saw 44 candidates have their scores boosted from 715 to a perfect 720, making them among the unprecedented number of NEET-UG toppers this year.

Due to these two added scenarios, the total number of toppers increased – 17 students were believed to get AIR 1, to which 6 students were added due to grace marks of time loss and 44 students were then added due to the wrong Physics question.

Announced on June 4, the results drew attention for the inflated number of students scoring perfect marks (720/720), a ten day advanced result declaration, alleged paper leak and some students being awarded grace marks for loss of time, taking their scores to 718 and 719. All these issues were raised by students and some NEET experts/ tutors on social media immediately after the result declaration.

While the NTA has repeatedly stated that the inflated number of toppers has been due to the increased number of registered students, grace marks due to loss of time and an easy question, NTA Director General Subodh Kumar Singh also attributed the unusually high number of top rankers (67) to a relatively easier paper this year.

This is the first time there have been 67 toppers for NEET UG. Since 2019, there haven’t been more than three toppers in any year of NEET UG, which is the single gateway for admission to all MBBS programs in the country. In 2019 and 2020, there was one topper each. There were three toppers in 2021, one in 2022, and two last year.

"On 5th May NEET exam was conducted and on 4th May exam paper was leaked in Bihar...The question paper was given to some students and those students cleared the exam...Police have arrested four students in connection with it...This incident shows that the paper was leaked...Central government is silent...Neither a CBI enquiry nor steps for re-test are being taken," said Delhi Minister and AAP leader Saurabh Bhardwaj.

#WATCH | Delhi: On the NEET issue, Delhi Minister and AAP leader Saurabh Bhardwaj says, "On 5th May NEET exam was conducted and on 4th May exam paper was leaked in Bihar...The question paper was given to some students and those students cleared the exam...Police have arrested… pic.twitter.com/epJmDSa9y4

— ANI (@ANI) June 16, 2024

"The present National Testing Agency (NTA) has really bungled and corruption has been brought to light on media platforms, such as providing solutions for question papers for something like becoming a doctor," Sibal, who was the Human Resource Development (now the portfolio is Education) minister from May 29, 2009 to October 29, 2012, said.

"Some of these incidents in Gujarat have perplexed me and are a matter of great national concern. I think NTA should answer some of these very serious questions," he said.

(PTI)

'The ongoing controversies around #NEET highlight its fundamentally inequitable nature. In a society where education has been denied for thousands of years, we should offer more opportunities for advancement of the oppressed. On the contrary, NEET hinders the opportunities of such students.

Despite the Union Education Minister's defense of the National Testing Agency (NTA), recent events paint a different picture. The Gujarat Police have registered an FIR over allegations of invigilators tampering with OMR sheets in exchange for monetary benefits, involving cheques worth several crore rupees and eight blank cheques. This conspiracy, implicating a school principal, a physics teacher, and several NEET coaching centres, underscores the urgent need for systemic change.

From martyr Anitha to the countless students who have tragically taken their own lives, we have witnessed enough.

NEET, an examination masquerading as a measure of merit, has repeatedly revealed itself as a pervasive scam affecting all levels of society. The Union government must stop defending this anti-student, anti-social justice, and anti-poor NEET system.,' says MK Stalin.

The ongoing controversies around #NEET highlight its fundamentally inequitable nature. In a society where education has been denied for thousands of years, we should offer more opportunities for advancement of the oppressed. On the contrary, NEET hinders the opportunities of such… https://t.co/mfjuUqwBFv

— M.K.Stalin (@mkstalin) June 16, 2024

"Central govt. is committed to protect the interests of NEET examinees. I want to assure the students that all their concerns will be addressed with fairness and equity. No student will be at a disadvantage and no child’s career will be at jeopardy.

Facts related to NEET examination are in cognisance of Hon’ble Supreme Court. Central govt. will take all necessary actions for the well-being of students as per the directions of the Hon’ble Supreme Court. Counselling process of NEET will be underway soon and it is of utmost importance to move ahead in this direction without any confusion," said Education Minister

On Tuesday, the Supreme Court, while hearing a petition seeking cancellation of the exams amid allegations of leakage of the NEET-UG paper, said the exam “sanctity has been affected” and sought answers from the NTA and the Centre.

“It’s not so simple that because you have done it (conducted the exam), it’s sacrosanct. We need answers for that… The sanctity has been affected. So we need answers,” Justice Ahsanuddin Amanullah, part of a two-judge bench, told the NTA counsel.

“This year, 24 lakh students took the NEET. Around 13 lakh students qualified. There are 4,500 exam centres for NEET, and there are centres in other countries as well. The exam happens in 13 languages.

There are two question sheets for NEET. On the day of the exam itself, it is informed whether question sheet A or B will be used. This time, by mistake, in six centres out of 4,500 centres, a wrong set of questions was given.”

“When the exam began, cognizance of this was taken and the correct question paper was given. There was some time loss involved. In those six centres, there were 1,563 students. They thought this time loss was unfair. There is a standing order of the Supreme Court… that if such issues are raised in entrance exams, instead of re-exam, an average marking… on the grace marking method… can be done. The NTA applied this.”

“After this, it was seen that some students got 100% after the grace marks. Based on this, some went to court. A committee was constituted… Today, the Supreme Court has made it clear that the 1,563 students should be given the opportunity for a re-exam. On June 23, these students will be given the option of a re-exam. They can either sit for the re-exam or take the original scores,” he said.

West Bengal Education Minister Bratya Basu Saturday demanded a probe into the alleged irregularities in NEET-UG 2024 by central agencies.

Basu said that the Centre never wastes time in expediting a probe into alleged irregularities in teachers' recruitment tests in West Bengal.

"But it is silent on probing into the irregularities in NEET-UG, which affected the future careers of lakhs of aspiring doctors across the country. I fail to comprehend why no ED or CBI probe has been initiated so far into the NEET-UG irregularities. Isn't it the Centre's failure?" he said.

The state education minister asserted that there had not been such cases when the medical entrance test was in the domain of the state under the West Bengal Joint Entrance Examination board.

Taking a dig at the media, he said, "While we have seen so many talk shows and panel discussions over alleged corruption in teaching recruitments (in the state).

"Why the silence now? Isn't the future of lakhs of MBBS aspirants important for the country, for the state?" he asked.

There had been so many investigations, so many arrests in connection with the teaching job recruitment, he said.

"We want punishment for the guilty and justice for thousands of teachers. But the issue of irregularities in an all-India medical entrance test should not be overlooked, brushed under the carpet. It involves the future of lakhs of candidates. Our future medical practitioners," he added on the sidelines of an education fair, organised by some private colleges.

The NEET conducting agency NTA said in a statement earlier that many candidates received grace marks due to timing issues, which accounted for the unusually high scores.

The agency also attributed higher cut-off marks to an increased number of test-takers, dismissing all allegations of foul play.
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan earlier rejected allegations of a paper leak in the NEET-UG examination, saying there is no evidence of it.

Earlier in the day, Basu attended the inauguration of Education Interface 2024 which was organised by a forum of private higher educational institutes at the state-owned Netaji Indoor Stadium.

(PTI)