Members of several student outfits on Monday protested outside the Ministry of Education at Shastri Bhawan in New Delhi, demanding a probe into the alleged irregularities in the conduct of the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET).
The entrance is conducted every year by the National Testing Agency (NTA) for admissions to undergraduate courses at medical colleges across the country.
A controversy erupted after 67 students shared the first rank in the results declared on June 4, leading to allegations of inflating of marks of some candidates.
The Central testing agency had on Saturday trashed the accusations and said the changes made in National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) textbooks and grace marks awarded for losing time at the examination centres were some of the reasons behind the students scoring higher marks.
Panel set up
It said the Ministry of Education had set up a four-member panel to review the grace marks awarded to more than 1,500 candidates.
However, a delegation led by Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union (JNUSU) president Dhananjay submitted a memorandum to the Ministry, demanding a re-test.
OPINION | A NEET mess: On the conduct of the medical entrance test
Mr. Dhananjay said, “Today, students from across the country have risen against the outrageous scams by the NTA while the Ministry of Education remains a mute spectator.” He said the authorities told them that they would look into the matter.
Students under the banner of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) stage a protest against the alleged NEET-UG results scam seeking a CBI inquiry, in Nagpur on June 10, 2024. | Photo Credit: ANI
Avijit Ghosh, vice-president of the JNUSU, said they demanded an independent and transparent investigation into the alleged irregularities. “We demand from the Ministry to establish a more reliable and secure examination system to safeguard the integrity of entrance exams,” he said.
The Students’ Federation of India said all students were united in their demand for a fair and transparent examination system. “The future of countless students is at stake. The Ministry of Education must take immediate action to address these critical issues,” it said.
Meanwhile, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS)-affiliated Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad demanded a CBI probe into the issue. In a statement, it also demanded transparency in all examinations conducted by the Central testing agency.
