New Delhi: The INDIA bloc leaders are set to press for adjournment motions in both houses of Parliament today to initiate a debate on the alleged irregularities in the 2024 National Eligibility Entrance Test-Undergraduate (NEET-UG). The INDIA bloc parties reached this decision during a meeting held at Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge’s residence on Thursday.
The decision comes a day after President Droupadi Murmu mentioned the paper leak issue during her address to the joint sitting of the parliamentarians.
The LoP Rahul Gandhi on Friday called upon the Prime Minister to participate in the debate, highlighting that such issues concerning the youth deserve comprehensive attention and bipartisan cooperation. Gandhi stressed the need for Parliament to convey a unified message that both the government and the opposition are committed to addressing students’ concerns collectively.
After the opposition raised the issue of alleged irregularities in NEET examinations, a ruckus erupted in Parliament, leading to the suspension of session until noon.
During her speech to the joint session of Parliament, President Droupadi Murmu said that the government’s dedication to conducting a fair investigation. “Even before this, we have seen paper leaks in different states. Rising above partisan politics, a nationwide concrete solution is needed for this. Parliament has formed a strict law against irregularities in examinations.”
In response, Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge remarked, “The Modi government cannot shirk its responsibility by merely suggesting that ‘we should rise above partisan politics’…The youth are demanding justice.”
Opposition leaders have stated that if the NEET issue is not addressed in Parliament today, they will hold a protest inside the House.
On Thursday, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) made its first arrest in the NEET UG paper leak case by apprehending two individuals in Patna. Reports indicate that Manish Kumar and Ashutosh Kumar, the arrested suspects, allegedly facilitated accommodation for medical entrance exam candidates prior to the exam and provided them with leaked question papers and answer keys.
The CBI team probing the NEET UG irregularities case will visit Beur Jail in Patna on Friday (June 28) to question the 13 suspects arrested earlier by the Bihar EoU.
Earlier, a team of eight CBI members visited the primary branch of the State Bank of India in Hazaribagh district, Jharkhand, where the bank manager reportedly held custody of the NEET-UG 2024 exam question papers.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to abolish NEET, the national-level medical entrance exam introduced in 2013, and return to the system where states conduct their own exams, following the recent paper leak controversy.
According to PTI, the CBI also took statements from three candidates in Gujarat who were reportedly seeking assistance to pass the exam.
As per reports, the NEET question papers have been leaked on May 3, two days prior to examinations. Meanwhile, the papers were transported from Ranchi airport to a courier company Blue Dart’s office in Patna and then to Hazaribagh branch of the State Bank of India (SBI) with the help of employees of either the transport company or the courier agency.
The Delhi police have filed a case against members of Congress’ National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) for entering the NTA office during a protest about the NEET problem.
