Education Minister Pradhan meets with NEET-UG aspirants amid exam controversy

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan met with National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test - Under Graduate (NEET-UG) aspirants on July 11 at his residence to address ongoing concerns about alleged irregularities in this year's medical entrance exam.

During the meeting, students voiced their worries about the uncertainty surrounding the exam, which was conducted in May.

They also discussed delays in the counseling process and the impact on the academic calendar.

Despite demands for a retest from various quarters, the education ministry has stated that the paper leak incidents were isolated and canceling the exam would unfairly impact the careers of many students who passed legitimately.

The issue has reached the Supreme Court, which postponed the hearing on petitions seeking to cancel and reconduct the exam until July 18.

Petitioners are also calling for an investigation into the alleged malpractices.

The ministry has informed the Supreme Court that an analysis of NEET-UG 2024 results by IIT Madras showed no evidence of widespread cheating or localized candidates benefiting with unusually high scores.

This assertion from the government comes after the Supreme Court suggested on July 8 that a retest might be necessary if there were significant malpractices in the exam.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is currently investigating the matter.

Over 23.33 lakh students took the NEET-UG exam on May 5 at 4,750 centers in 571 cities, including 14 international locations.

The government and the National Testing Agency (NTA) previously told the Supreme Court that canceling the exam would be detrimental and would seriously harm the futures of many honest candidates without substantial evidence of a widespread confidentiality breach.

The NEET-UG, conducted by the NTA, is a crucial entrance exam for admissions to MBBS, BDS, AYUSH, and other related courses in government and private institutions across India.