The Government today asserted that there is no evidence of paper leaks in the last seven years and it is hiding nothing in the alleged NEET UG paper leak case. Replying to supplementaries during the Question Hour in the Lok Sabha, Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said, the National Testing Agency has conducted 240 examinations since its formation and over four crore 50 lakh students have appeared in the examinations conducted by the NTA. Mr. Pradhan hit out at Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi over the issue saying the remarks made by him on the country’s examination system are condemnable.
Rejecting the allegations levelled by the opposition parties that paper leak incidents have become rampant in the country, Mr. Pradhan said, in only one place near Patna, anomalies and malpractices during the NEET-UG examination have been reported. He said, the CBI is investigating into the matter and the NEET examination issue is sub-judice in the Supreme Court.
Earlier, Mr. Gandhi while raising the alleged paper leak issue said, there is a very serious problem in the country’s examination system. He criticized Mr. Pradhan over the issue questioning what exactly the government is doing to fix the issue. He said, millions of students in the country are extremely concerned about the examinations and their future. Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav demanded Mr. Pradhan’s resignation over the issue and alleged that this government will make what he called a record of paper leaks.
Reacting to Mr. Yadav’s allegation the Education Minister said the centre-wise merit list has been published. He said that by making such comments the opposition is questioning the talent of the candidates belonging to SC, ST and backward classes since many of them have performed quite well in the examination. NK Premachandran of RSP also raised the paper leak issue in the House today on the first day of the Budget Session of the Parliament. Unsatisfied by the Minister’s reply, opposition parties staged a walkout from Lok Sabha.
In the Rajya Sabha, when the House met this morning on the first day of the session, Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar urged the members to uphold the principles of discussion and debate, fostering an environment conducive to robust parliamentary discourse, and setting an example before the nation. He also asked the members to act together for the welfare of the people. Later, he rejected the adjournment notices moved by the Congress, Left, TMC, and others over the issue of UP’s government-reported order asking shops on Kawar Yatra routes to display their owner and staff names as well as UPSC fake certificate issue.
