Rahul Gandhi Criticizes PM Modi Over NEET Exam Scandal

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his "silence" on the NEET exam issue, asserting that his party is dedicated to advocating for the youth from the streets to the Parliament to ensure stringent policies against paper leaks.

Gandhi emphasized that the recent arrests in Bihar, Gujarat, and Haryana highlight organized corruption in the NEET examination process. He accused these BJP-ruled states of becoming the "epicenter" of paper leaks. "Narendra Modi, as usual, is maintaining silence on the tampering with the future of more than 24 lakh students in the NEET examination," Gandhi stated on X in Hindi.

He further claimed that the arrests in these states demonstrate a systematic and planned corruption in the examination process. "In our manifesto, the Congress had guaranteed to secure the future of the youth by making strict laws against paper leaks," Gandhi added. He pledged that his party, fulfilling its opposition duties, would press the government for robust policies by voicing the concerns of the youth both on the streets and in Parliament.

Gandhi's remarks followed the Supreme Court's statement on Tuesday that even minimal negligence in the conduct of the NEET-UG 2024 examination must be thoroughly addressed. The apex court underscored that students work hard to prepare for these exams and that related litigation should not be adversarial.

AAP Protests at Jantar Mantar

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders staged a protest at Jantar Mantar against alleged irregularities in the NEET exam. They demanded the exam's cancellation and a Supreme Court-monitored investigation into the matter. Protesters burned copies of the NEET paper and chanted slogans against the Central government.

AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh criticized the Ministry of Education and the NTA, claiming they had compromised the future of lakhs of students. He called for the NEET exam to be cancelled and re-conducted. Singh also pointed out the unusual early release of NEET results, suggesting it was done to distract from the paper leak scandal.

Delhi Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj highlighted instances of corruption, such as in Bihar, where aspirants allegedly received the exam paper in advance for hefty sums. He demanded a government-led investigation under Supreme Court supervision, stressing the importance of government accountability in such matters.

Kerala CM Vijayan on NEET Allegations

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan expressed concerns over the credibility of the entrance test system due to the NEET exam controversies. He criticized the central government and NTA for not addressing students' concerns adequately. Vijayan highlighted the Supreme Court's recent directive for thorough handling of even the slightest negligence in NEET-UG 2024.

Vijayan recalled the central government's move to replace state-level medical entrance exams with NEET, arguing that state exams had been conducted flawlessly. He called for effective intervention to restore trust in the national-level exam system.

Owaisi Demands NEET Re-exam

Hyderabad, Jun 18 (PTI) - AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi called for a Supreme Court-monitored re-exam of NEET, criticizing the NDA government for alleged irregularities. He accused Prime Minister Modi of destroying students' futures and demanded a re-exam for all, not just a select few.

Owaisi supported the state-level entrance exam system and claimed that NEET favors wealthy students. He labeled the BJP as anti-education and urged Modi to address the need for a re-conducted NEET exam in his public communications.

Student Unions Protest in Hyderabad

Various student unions, including NSUI and SFI, protested in Hyderabad against NEET irregularities, demanding the exam's cancellation. The National Students' Union of India led a march, while other unions held separate protests, calling for a judicial inquiry into the irregularities and an apology from Prime Minister Modi.

BRS Working President K T Rama Rao criticized the NDA government for its indifferent attitude towards the NEET issue, questioning the Education Minister's denial of the problem. The student unions emphasized the need for transparent and fair examination processes to safeguard students' futures.