NEET exams row: Maharashtra Congress demands CBI probe

MUMBAI: Nana Patole, the Maharashtra Congress president, called for a Central Bureau of Investigation inquiry on Tuesday into the alleged corrupt practices surrounding the NEET-UG medical entrance exams. Following numerous students' allegations of inflated marks in the exam, the National Testing Agency (NTA) announced last week the formation of a four-member panel by the Education Ministry to review the grace marks awarded to more than 1,500 candidates.
Patole, while speaking to reporters in Mumbai, stated, "After the BJP came to power, NEET came into existence which has inconvenienced students. It has become an epicentre of corruption. By introducing NEET, the Union government took control over examinations and admissions nationwide. It forced the parents to pay higher fees for the NEET tuition."
He further alleged that the "corrupt practices" in the exam are preventing poor students from gaining admission to government-run colleges. "We demand to conduct a CBI probe into NEET exams," Patole added.
The NTA denied any irregularities, attributing the higher marks scored by students to changes made in the NCERT textbooks and grace marks given for losing time at the examination centres.
The issue has taken on a political dimension, with several parties questioning the integrity and fairness of the examination process.