Amid NEET-NTA row, Opposition shouts ‘shame’ as Dharmendra Pradhan takes oath in Lok Sabha

Public unrest surged nationwide, with opposition leaders, student bodies, and students demanding justice and severe penalties for those involved. Protests erupted, leading to the arrest of over two dozen students from various universities during demonstrations at the Ministry of Education and Pradhan’s residence in central Delhi. Protesters also called for Pradhan’s resignation and the dissolution of the National Testing Agency (NTA), which is responsible for conducting the exam.

Pradhan, addressing a press conference earlier, accepted “moral responsibility” for the breach of trust among youth and students. This marked a contrast to his earlier stance when he had dismissed any claims of a paper leak due to lack of evidence.

Pradhan, a Union Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate, retained the Sambalpur Lok Sabha seat in Odisha, defeating Biju Janata Dal (BJD) rival Pranab Prakash Das by a significant margin of 1,19,836 votes.

The allegations surrounding the NTA are expected to be the focus of the Opposition this Lok Sabha session. The government, on its part, has already replaced the NTA chief and appointed an expert committee to recommend a roadmap for examination reforms and review of the agency. However, the main opposition Congress signalled that mere shuffling of bureaucrats was not a solution.