The National Testing Agency’s (NTA) handling of the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) exam crisis was immature, and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) will now look into every aspect, according to top government sources.
“The NTA’s handling was immature. All cases of NEET have already given to the CBI and they will investigate each and every aspect. Some impersonation cases have also surfaced in Delhi and will be investigated,” they said.
“There was no need for grace marks and other relaxations and they should have gone for re-examination immediately. NTA officials are also under the scanner and will be investigated after understanding the whole procedure. Such paper leaks are not possible suddenly and it must be a well-placed system,” said sources.
THE PROBE SO FAR
The CBI on Monday took over five new cases of alleged malpractices in the medical entrance exam NEET-UG that were being investigated by police in Gujarat, Rajasthan and Bihar, bringing the total to six. The Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) of Maharashtra has arrested a Zilla Parishad school headmaster from Latur and detained a teacher after it emerged that at least four persons allegedly operated a racket to help NEET students willing to pay money to crack the exam.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to consider abolishing NEET, the national-level medical entrance exam introduced in 2013, and reverting to the system of states conducting the exam in the wake of the paper leak row. Several opposition MPs said on the first day of the 18th Lok Sabha that the government will have to answer on the issue in Parliament as it is causing hardship to lakhs of students.
Amid protests and litigation, the Centre had on Saturday shunted out NTA Director General Subodh Singh and handed over the probe into irregularities in NEET-UG to the CBI, which is now probing a total of six cases in the matter. Pradeep Singh Kharola took the additional charge of NTA on Monday and had meetings with officials of the testing body. The seven-member panel set up by the Education Ministry headed by former ISRO chief K Radhakrishnan to review the NTA’s functioning and recommend exam reforms met on Monday evening.
The Centre on Monday also made public the rules under the recently notified anti-paper leak law, mandating the National Recruitment Agency (NRA) to prepare norms, standards and guidelines for the computer-based tests among others.The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Rules, 2024 have provisions for “engagement of services of other government agencies by public examination authority”, “preparations of norms, standards and guidelines” and “reporting of incidents of unfair means or offences” among others.
With PTI Inputs
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