The National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET), a pivotal examination for medical course admissions, has ignited a storm of criticism against the Centre, sparking protests nationwide by aspirants and opposition leaders alike.
The DMK, a vocal opponent of NEET since its inception, has accused the National Testing Agency of compromising the exam’s integrity, labelling the Centre as mere “spectators” favouring coaching centres.
Meanwhile, the Congress has slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his perceived silence and demanded a Supreme Court-monitored investigation.
Following the declaration of results on June 4, amid allegations of paper leaks and a record number of perfect scores, concerns have surged over the fairness of the exam. Disputes have erupted over the awarding of grace marks to compensate for lost exam time, with the issue now under Supreme Court scrutiny. The Centre has moved to revoke grace marks for 1,563 candidates, offering them the option of a re-test or waiving the marks altogether, yet dissatisfaction persists among students demanding broader re-examination.
Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has refuted allegations of corruption within the NTA, insisting that all pertinent details are before the Supreme Court for review. He condemned political exploitation of the issue, stressing its adverse impact on student well-being.
“All the facts related to this are before the Supreme Court and are under consideration. The kind of politics being done on this issue is only an attempt to spread confusion and it affects the mental peace of the students,” Pradhan said.
Congress leaders, including Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, have escalated criticism, alleging systemic malpractice and advocating for a comprehensive resolution to safeguard the future of NEET examinees.
“There has been rigging, papers have been leaked, and corruption has taken place. The future of 24 lakh students appearing in the NEET examination is at stake due to the actions of the Modi government,” Kharge said.
As the controversy intensifies, allies of the Opposition, such as RJD’s Tejaswi Yadav and TMC’s Bratya Basu, have joined the chorus of dissent.
With medical college counselling set to commence on July 6 and the Supreme Court slated to resume hearings on July 8, the NEET furor shows no signs of abating.
