Opposition leaders have criticised the central government regarding the growing controversy over the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET). The controversy has sparked protests among aspirants across the country.
The Congress party has questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's silence on the issue and demanded a Supreme Court-monitored investigation.
The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) has been a consistent opponent of NEET. The party has accused the National Testing Agency (NTA) of compromising the exam's integrity and claimed that the Centre is merely a "spectator" while allegedly supporting coaching centres.
The NEET results were announced on June 4. Following the results, allegations of a paper leak emerged. A notable 67 students achieved a perfect score of 720/720, and the cut-off marks have risen sharply, raising concerns among students about securing medical college seats.
Additionally, there is controversy over the awarding of grace marks to some students to compensate for time lost at exam centres. Protesting students argue that this has led to inflated scores. The Supreme Court is currently examining the matter. The Centre informed the court that it had cancelled the grace marks for 1,563 candidates, offering them a re-test or the option to forgo the grace marks. However, some students demand a complete re-examination for all candidates.
Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan stated that there is no evidence of a paper leak and dismissed claims of corruption within the NTA as baseless. He emphasised that all relevant facts are before the Supreme Court and criticised the political exploitation of the issue, which he said undermines students' mental peace.
