© IE Online Media Services Pvt Ltd
Tags:
Journalism of Courage
NTA NEET, UGC NET Paper Leak Controversy: The National Testing Agency (NTA) had been in the news for the past month due to the ongoing National Eligibility cum Entrance Test Undergraduate (NEET UG) 2024 controversy.
NEET UG 2024 results were declared on June 4, 10 days before the result date was scheduled — when the country was glued to their TV screens for the Lok Sabha election results. The ‘urgency’ to declare the results on June 4 evening landed the National Testing Agency (NTA) in trouble, and what added fuel to the fire was the inflated number of toppers, with some students scoring 718 and 719 and allegations of paper leak in some states.
More than three weeks later, a series of arrests in alleged paper leak cases, CBI’s ongoing enquiry, an expert committee to look into the functioning of the NTA and more — a lot has happened since the result was declared on June 4. Let’s take a look:
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has taken over the alleged National Eligibility cum Entrance Test, Undergraduate (NEET UG) paper leak case from Bihar’s Economic Offences Unit (EOU). On June 27, the CBI arrested two people from Patna, who had allegedly made arrangements for the accommodation of NEET UG examinees on May 4, a day before the exam – the same day they allegedly memorised the solved paper. Four examinees are among the 13 accused in the case, besides five more arrests made later.
NEET 2024 | NEET likely in online mode | NEET PG date expected this week | CBI gets custody of 4 accused | Radhakrishnan committee seeks suggestions on NTA exam reforms, functioning | NTA denies viral video of CUET UG answer sheets kept in open | President on paper leaks | CBI takes over NEET UG probe| Glaring gaps in NEET exam centres | Education Minister takes responsibility | Candidates memorised NEET answers in Bihar | NEET PG postponed | Candidates response to cancelling NEET PG |
Meanwhile, the CBI also tried to track the prime accused Sanjiv Mukhiya, who has been absconding from his Nalanda village. It is suspected that Mukhiya has fled to Nepal.
Additionally, on June 23, the NTA had sent show-cause notices to 17 candidates in Patna, threatening debarment, based on the report sent to the Centre by the Bihar Police’s EOU.
Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on June 28 raised the issue of NEET UG controversy in the Lok Sabha.
“It is an issue of youth, we want that a message should go to the whole country from the Parliament. I appeal to the Prime Minister that there should be a debate in Parliament on the issue of NEET so that a good message goes out,” Rahul Gandhi said in the Parliament.
However, amid calls from the Opposition on discussion about the NEET UG controversy, the Lok Sabha was adjourned till Monday 11 am.
On June 27, President Droupadi Murmu addressed a joint sitting of both Houses where she spoke about the ‘paper leak’ case.
“Whether it is competitive examinations or government recruitment there should be no reason for any hindrance. This process requires complete transparency and probity. Regarding the recent instances of paper leak in some examinations, my government is committed to a fair investigation and ensuring strict punishment to the culprits.
“Even earlier, we have witnessed many instances of paper leaks in different states. It is important that we rise above party politics and undertake concrete measures nationwide. Parliament has also enacted a strict law against unfair means in examinations. My government is working towards major reforms in examination related bodies, their functioning and all aspects of the examination process,” Murmu said.
On June 22, the Education Ministry announced an expert committee headed by former Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chairman K Radhakrishnan to look into examination reforms and review NTA’s functioning. Apart from Dr Radhakrishnan, the committee includes former AIIMS director Randeep Guleria; Hyderabad Central University Vice-Chancellor Professor B J Rao; Professor Ramamurthy K., Professor Emeritus at the Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Madras; entrepreneur and co-founder of People Strong Pankaj Bansal; Professor Aditya Mittal, who is presently the Dean of Student Affairs at IIT Delhi; and Govind Jaiswal, Joint Secretary in the Ministry.
The aim of this committee is to make recommendations on reforms in the mechanism of the examination process, improvement in data security protocols, and structure and functioning of the National Testing Agency (NTA).
On June 28, this committee invited suggestions from the public for reforming the process in the conduct of examinations by the NTA. Stakeholders can share their suggestions, views, and ideas from June 27 to July 7 by visiting the official website.
Amid the ongoing NEET and NET controversies, on June 27, NTA denied allegations of carelessly handling students’ answer sheets for the Central University Entrance Test (CUET UG) 2024, the single-window test for admissions to a majority of undergraduate programmes at 46 Central universities, including Delhi University (DU), Allahabad University, and Banaras Hindu University (BHU). NTA came up with a clarification after videos of boxes, allegedly containing the answer sheets, lying outside the agency’s office surfaced online.
“These are empty boxes kept outside the hall at NTA and do not have any sensitive material inside them. Never did we keep these boxes in open, as being reported by the media. Also, we have sufficient number of security personnel deployed at the place where boxes are kept,” the agency on Thursday tweeted on ‘X’ (formerly known as Twitter).
Meanwhile, the NTA also told The Indian Express that the CUET result will be delayed. While the NTA’s information bulletin states June 30 as the result date, a senior official at the agency said that this deadline, in the present scenario, is unlikely to be met. The official added that the exam’s provisional answer key, in all probability, will only be released next week. After which, the agency will take “a week to 10 days” to release the final results.
The Education Ministry removed Subodh Kumar Singh as NTA chief on June 22, and put him on “compulsory wait” in the Department of Personnel and Training. Following this, the Ministry has appointed retired Indian Administrative Pradeep Singh Kharola as the new director general of the National Testing Agency for the time being.
The NTA on June 28 has announced the new dates for the University Grants Commission-National Eligibility Test (UGC-NET) 2024 June session exam. The UGC NET June 2024 cycle exam will now be held between August 21 and September 4. The UGC NET June 2024 exam earlier held in pen and paper (offline) mode will now however be held as a computer-based test. The UGC NET June 2024 exam was held on June 18 in two shifts, however on June 19 the exam was cancelled affecting over 9 lakh candidates.
