Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament Kapil Sibal has urged for a Supreme Court inquiry in investigating the NEET-UG examination controversy. He also urged the government to engage in discussions with all states on the future conduct of this medical entrance exam, particularly in light of concerns about irregularities in the marking process.
He emphasized the necessity of a CBI investigation to safeguard the administration. He suggested that such an inquiry should be conducted by an independent agency or officials appointed by the Supreme Court, rather than by the current government in power.
The ex-Congress leader criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi regarding the NEET UG 2024 controversy, stating that when the examination process is compromised, it’s “not really neat for the PM to remain silent” as it undermines the integrity of the system.
Sibal said, “The present National Testing Agency (NTA) has bungled, and corruption has been brought to light on media platforms, such as providing solutions for question papers for something like becoming a doctor.”
He also called on all political parties to bring up the NEET UG matter in Parliament, although he expressed doubt that it would be prioritized.
The Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha also criticized Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, following his dismissal of any accusations regarding a paper leak or manipulation in the medical entrance examination.
“Let him go on social media and see how this is happening in Gujarat itself. The state of Gujarat is one of the progressive states, even in respect of corruption it seems to be somewhat progressive,” Sibal said. He further alleged that corruption during examinations is not only rampant in one state, but across the country.
Sibal added, “If 67 students have maxed and some of them belong to the same center, I think the minister should be worried about it instead of saying there is nothing wrong. In this government, there would not be any minister who will admit that something wrong has been done.”
In the NEET UG 2024 exam on May 5, more than 24 lakh students participated nationwide. Allegations of irregularities surfaced as 67 students achieved top scores, sparking concerns of question paper leaks in Bihar.