Though President Droupadi Murmu’s address to the joint session of parliament referred to NEET and said that the government is “committed to a fair investigation”, the opposition is in no mood to set aside the politically potent issue of NEET exam malpractice that has affected more than 24 lakh students and their families across India.
The matter shall come up today and Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan will respond to it. Congress leaders indicated that the opposition will be in attacking mode. As the student protests are escalating and NTA, the agency entrusted to conduct the examination, is already on the back foot, the opposition is going gung-ho over perceived irregularities and the ineffectiveness of the government in this regard. Dharmendra Pradhan was booed by the Opposition with the shouts of “NEET” when he took oath in parliament.
The opposition is taunting the government, which has called for ” One Nation, One Election”, saying that it is not even capable of holding “One Nation, One Examination.”. There have been a string of examinations cancelled over the last few months amid widespread allegations of malpractice and paper-leaking. Not content at blaming the government for being incapable of holding fair examinations, the opposition is accusing the ruling BJP of having some of their leaders hands in gloves with the culprits.
The parliament today shall primarily discuss the motion of thanks to the president’s address, The opposition intends to corner the government on the irregularities in the medical entrance exam NEET (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test) and other competitive exams.
The government, on the other hand, has maintained that it has taken all possible actions, from a CBI probe to forming a special committee. The Government said that it has put in place stringent rules against cheating and paper leaks that will come into effect in this session. The government is determined to bring to book the culprits and mete out exemplary punishment.
Meanwhile, the Congress student wing NSUI attacked the office of the NTA (National Testing Agency) and ransacked part of it. Congress is reaping massive public anger on the issue of rampant corruption in the conduct of examinations, which directly affects the future of lakhs of students and, by extension, that of the nation itself. Earlier, the Youth Congress also held a protest near the Parliament. Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi received a delegation of NEET student protestors at 10 Janpath and assured them of the opposition’s wholehearted support.
The Congress would not want to let go of the opportunity to target the BJP for an issue that helps rejuvenate his party. Rahul Gandhi pointed out the Vyapam scam in Madhya Pradesh and termed the BJP-ruled states the “epicentre of the paper leak.”
