After the Opposition raised the matter of the alleged NEET-UG paper leak in the Lok Sabha on Friday and demanded a discussion on it, Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said that the government was ready for a discussion on the matter, but as per the convention and decorum of the House. Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi along with other Opposition MPs had demanded that the NEET issue be discussed in the Lok Sabha. Speaker Om Birla then said that the discussion on the Motion of Thanks to the President’s Address would be taken up first. The House was then adjourned till Monday morning. The Opposition made a similar demand in the Rajya Sabha as well. “The government is ready for a discussion but it must be as per conventions and decorum. Today, the Opposition…they were reminded of this convention in both Houses, that when the Motion of Thanks is to be discussed after the President’s Address, there is no tradition of an Adjournment Motion,” Pradhan told the media. He added: “Yesterday, the President herself, in her address, mentioned the matter of these exams. This makes the government’s intention clear…that we are present to deal with any situation. When the President has herself mentioned the exams, you can, in the discussion on the Motion of Thanks, place your views, say what you want to say, and give your suggestions. I was in the Lok Sabha when the Opposition was talking about this matter. The Speaker said you do not want a discussion. We are giving you an opportunity for a discussion. The government is there to present its side. If you run away from a discussion, the government is there to present its side, so what is the confusion?” He went on to request the Opposition to keep the politics aside and discuss the matter. “Aap rajneeti se bahar aake, aap charcha mein aayiye. On (July) 1 and 2, Monday and Tuesday…till Wednesday discussions will take place in the Rajya Sabha. Participate in the discussions. You can say what you have on your mind. The government is ready to present its side,” he said. In the wake of the allegations of the NEET-UG paper leaks, the UGC-NET, CSIR-UGC NET and NEET-PG exams have been cancelled this month. Pradhan also sought to assure students that strict action will be taken and that the National Testing Agency (NTA) will soon announce dates for exams in which schedules have been disrupted. “We have been saying from the initial days that the government’s obligation is towards the youth and students of the country. We have presented all the matters, with clarity, before the country. I would like to assure students that we will take strict action…the process has begun. Whoever it is, we will not let culprits go. For reforms in these exams, a high-level committee under (former ISRO chairman) Dr Radhakrishnan has been formed. In exams where there have been some discrepancies, the NTA will soon announce dates,” he added.
