As pressure mounts from Opposition, NEET UG controversy reaches Amit Shah’s table

The meeting at Shah’s residence lasted over an hour, during which he was briefed on all FIRs registered related to the NEET-UG exam, particularly in Bihar.

Bihar has set up a special investigation team (SIT) of its economic offences unit (EOU) to probe the paper leak allegations. That apart two exam centres in Godhra, Gujarat, are under the scanner for helping in filing the right choices in their OMR sheets. The Panchmahal district police in Gujarat has arrested five persons so far in the case of alleged malpractices in the test at Parvadi village in Godhra.

The Bihar SIT’s investigation so far is “suggestive of a paper leak”. Of the 13 people arrested in the state, four are candidates who took the NEET, three parents and others who are members of a gang that allegedly gathered 35 candidates before the exam at a school and conducted a mock exam. They allegedly received the NEET question paper along with answers.

The Ministry of Education in a statement Wednesday night said a report has been sought from Bihar Police.

“In the matter pertaining to the NEET(UG) Examination-2024, the issue related to grace marks has already been fully addressed. As regards certain irregularities alleged in the conduct of the examination in Patna, a detailed report has been sought from the Economic Offences Unit, Bihar Police. Government will take further action, on receipt of this report,” it said.

“Government is committed to ensure the sanctity of examinations and protect the interest of students. It is reiterated that any individual/organization found to be involved in this matter will face strictest action,” the ministry said.

In the meeting earlier in the day, the Home Minister is learned to have been apprised of the NTA’s analysis of the results of the candidates at centres in Patna and Godhra, which the Bihar and Gujarat Police, respectively, suspect of having benefited from irregularities. As reported by The Indian Express on Wednesday, NTA’s analysis shows the candidates under suspicion do not appear to have had any unusual advantage.

Of the 13 candidates from Patna, who are under Bihar Police scanner in their investigation of an alleged paper leak, eight have scored less than 500 marks out of 720, The Indian Express has learnt. Almost 98% of the students who appeared from two exam centres in Godhra, being probed for manipulation of OMR sheets, have also scored less than 500 marks.

To get a seat in a government medical college under the all-India quota, a score of 650-plus out of 720 is considered the norm.

The Home Minister’s meeting took place on the day the Congress intensified its attack on the government, and directed its state units to “hold massive protests at state headquarters” on Friday “demanding justice for the students”.

Last week, Pradhan had said that there was no evidence of a paper leak. “There is no corruption. This environment that has been created over the past few days… there are big anomalies… The government has taken seriously the specific instances that have come to the fore. A committee of academicians has been formed and they have given some recommendations. Based on that the government has presented its side to the court. The NTA conducts three big exams successfully: NEET, JEE and CUET. In the incident that has been brought to the fore, the culprits will most certainly be punished,” he told reporters on June 13.

Announced on June 4, the NEET-UG results drew immediate attention after 67 candidates got the perfect score of 720/720 and some candidates got 718 or 719 — marks others claimed were not possible in the scheme of the exam. The NTA attributed this to a combination of factors including a relatively easier paper, the decision to award additional marks to students who lost time during the exam because of errors and delays on the part of NTA staff and invigilators, and an incorrect question.