lok-sabha-adjourned-amid-neet-controversy-protests

The Lok Sabha witnessed a heated session as opposition members, led by Rahul Gandhi, demanded a thorough discussion on the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) controversy. The uproar stemmed from allegations of a paper leak and irregularities surrounding the NEET and UGC-NET examinations.

 

Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition, called for a respectful and comprehensive discussion on the issue, emphasising the importance of addressing the concerns of the youth.

 

He expressed the collective stance of the opposition, stating that all opposition leaders had unanimously agreed on the need for a dedicated discussion on NEET in the Parliament.

 

Before entering the Parliament, Rahul Gandhi said, “Yesterday, all the leaders of the opposition parties had a meeting and it was unanimous that today, we want a discussion on the NEET issue. There should be a discussion on NEET here in the House. I request the Prime Minister that this is an issue of the youth and it should be discussed properly and it should be a respectful discussion. We will do it respectfully. You should also join the discussion, you should also participate because this is a matter for the youth. A message should go from the Parliament that the Indian government and the opposition are talking about the students together.”

 

Despite the opposition’s demands, Speaker Om Birla insisted that the discussion on the Motion of Thanks to the President’s Address be prioritised. This decision led to the adjournment of the Lok Sabha till 12 noon amidst loud protests from opposition MPs.

 

Rahul Gandhi reiterated the opposition’s intent to send a unified message to the students of India, highlighting the significance of the NEET issue and the need for a respectful dialogue.

 

He said, “We wanted to give a joint message to the students of India, on behalf of the Opposition and the Government – that we consider this an important issue. So, we thought that to respect students we will have a discussion on NEET today, a dedicated discussion…”

 

Adding to the opposition's voice, Aam Aadmi Party MP Sandeep Pathak described the situation as unfortunate, pointing out two major concerns: the paper leak and irregularities in marking, which he termed as institutional fraud.

 

He held the National Testing Agency (NTA), the Union Education Minister, and the Prime Minister responsible for the fiasco.

 

Pathak asserted, “What happened in NEET is very unfortunate. It has two sides to it – first, the paper leak, and second, the irregularities in marking and institutional fraud. Nabbing one individual will not be enough. NTA, Union Education Minister, and the PM are responsible for this.”

 

The Rajya Sabha also faced disruptions and was adjourned till noon after some members attempted to move to the well of the house.

 

The controversy surrounding NEET-UG and UGC-NET exams took a serious turn when the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) registered a criminal case on June 23 over alleged irregularities in the conduct of the examination by the NTA.

 

The CBI has formed special teams to probe the matter, following reports of isolated incidents in a few states during the NEET (UG) 2024 examination held on May 5, 2024.

 

The NEET (UG) 2024 examination saw an unprecedented number of candidates achieving perfect scores, leading to widespread protests. With over 23 lakh candidates appearing for the exam across 4,750 centres in 571 cities, including 14 cities abroad, the allegations of a paper leak and irregularities have raised significant concerns.

 

In response, the Ministry of Education has constituted a high-level committee of experts to recommend reforms in the examination process, improvements in data security protocols, and the overall functioning of the NTA. This move aims to restore the integrity of the examination system and address the concerns raised by the opposition and the public.