NEET Controversy: Rahul Gandhi cries ‘fraud’ in exams; MPs demand education minister’s resignation

NEW DELHI: The ongoing dispute over the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test – the NEET 2024 paper leak controversy – once again rocked parliament on Monday. The Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and other MPs attacked the central government over NEET 2024 irregularities and sought the resignation of education minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

Dharmendra Pradhan maintained that the NEET 2024 paper leak was limited to one Patna centre, that there’s no evidence of paper leak in the past seven years.

Also read LIVE: NEET 2024 SC Hearing

The first day of the second half of the Budget Session 2024 of parliament witnessed intense debate between Gandhi and education minister Dharmendra Pradhan in Lok Sabha. Gandhi described the Indian examination system as “fraud”.

“It is obvious to the whole country that there is a very serious problem in our examination system, not just in NEET but in all the major examinations. Now, the minister (Pradhan) has blamed everybody except himself. I don't even think he understands the fundamentals of what is going on here,” Gandhi said.

During Question Hour, Gandhi asked the minister, “As this (NEET) is a systemic issue, what exactly are you doing to fix this issue at a systematic level?”

Responding to allegations, Pradhan said, “I do not need a certificate for my manners, intelligence level from anyone in this august house ...A lie will not become the truth just by shouting. The fact that the Leader of Opposition says that the country's examination system is rubbish, is highly condemnable... We brought a bill in parliament and made ‘The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024’”.

The lower House was adjourned after the Question Hour.

Reacting to the minister's response in parliament, Gandhi told reporters outside parliament that the Congress party will keep raising the NEET issue as it is important for young students.

“The minister should answer. He is talking about the prime minister and Supreme Court. But, he is not able to understand it (NEET paper leak issue) and not telling what he himself is doing about it. He did not answer my question. It is an important issue for youth. We demanded discussion on it, but the government is not interested. But,we will keep raising this issue and putting pressure on the government,” he said.

Seeking education minister’s resignation

B Manickam Tagore, Congress MP from Tamil Nadu’s Virudhunagar Lok Sabha constituency said: “In light of the severe breach of examination process and significant impact on our 24 lakh students, does the minister accept the responsibility of this failure? Given the gravity of the situation, will the accountability and integrity of the office concerned resign?”

Responding to Tagore, Pradhan said, “I am here on the mercy of my leader Prime Minister Narendra Modi. So whenever accountability comes, my government is collectively answerable to that. Regarding anomalies and some information of malpractices, out of 4,700 centers, only in one place around Patna there is an incident of anomaly. CBI is getting into details. We are hiding nothing.”

Pradhan further said no evidence of paper leak has been found in the last seven years. “This (NEET) case is going on before the Supreme Court and CJI DY Chandrachud is himself presiding over the bench hearing this case. I can say with full responsibility that more than 240 exams have been conducted successfully after NTA started taking exams.”

Referring to the analysis of NEET city-wise center-wise data released by NTA on Saturday, Samajwadi Party MP Akhilesh Yadav said. “This government will make a record of paper leaks... There are some centres where more than 2,000 students have passed. As long as this minister (education minister) is there, the students will not get justice.”

Meanwhile, Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi questioned PM Modi’s walking away from Lok Sabha over the NEET issue.

“The issue of NEET was listed on second number in today's Question Hour, but before that, PM Modi stood up and walked away. Why did he go? Was it not his responsibility to give an answer on the issue today? When we demanded the education minister's resignation he (Pradhan) arrogantly said why would he resign when he has been [made] the education minister by PM Modi," he said.