Centre Ignoring Children’s Concerns On NEET, Says DMK’s Dayanidhi Maran

During the Lok Sabha’s Budget Session, in response to Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s comments on the NEET-UG paper leak issue, DMK Lok Sabha MP Dayanidhi Maran criticized the ruling party for ignoring the concerns of children.

“It is unfortunate that the BJP-led NDA government is not taking proper action or even listening to the voices of children. Today, the Opposition is raising its voice for the future concerns of children’s lives,” Maran said while speaking to ANI in the Parliament complex on Monday.

The DMK leader raised concerns about the accessibility of National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) question papers overseas, asking, “Why is it that NEET, which is already controversial, allows the question paper to be accessed abroad? Students living abroad, like in Japan, receive the question paper 24 hours ahead?”

Maran highlighted the recent suicides of NEET aspirants and questioned the government’s indifference towards the students who have died in Kota, even if not in Tamil Nadu.

“Moreover, I would like to ask about the number of suicides that have taken place – forget Tamil Nadu. In Tamil Nadu, more than 20 people have committed suicide. That is so painful for us. You want to forget Tamil Nadu, but what about Kota in Rajasthan, where the Honourable Speaker comes from? You are not worried about that,” the DMK MP said.

Maran accused the government of concealing the NEET paper leak issue and criticized the ruling party, questioning why children should endure hardship because of their “arrogance.”

“You defend by saying that everything is okay. Everything is not okay. You want to cover it up with an investigation. Why should the children suffer because of your arrogance and inefficiency?” the DMK leader said.

Maran also proposed that the central government should permit states to choose not to use NEET for medical entrance examinations.

“Leave it to the states. Whichever state wants it, let them do it. Whichever does not want NEET, let them opt-out,” he said.

The government has come under fire for the “paper leak” issue during the NEET-UG examination. Congress MP Manickam Tagore demanded the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the NEET ‘paper leak’ and criticized the government for being unwilling to discuss the matter.

“We also want our people’s issues to be raised in Parliament. He (PM Modi) wants to divert from the real issues. We all want the Parliament to function, but the ruling party is not ready to have a discussion. NEET is an important issue on which we wanted to have a discussion. Till now, they are not ready to have a discussion. The education minister is a failed education minister. If he has any integrity or morality, he should have resigned,” Tagore said.