NEET UG Exam and UGC NET June 2024 Live Updates: CBI takes over 5 cases from Bihar, Gujarat and Rajasthan pertaining to alleged malpractices in NEET-UG

"Injustice has been done to the future of many students. Earlier, the Education Minister said that the NEET exam question paper has not leaked. Now, he is removing NTA DG; this won't help. Education Minister should resign," says RJD leader Mritunjay Tiwari. (PTI)

The investigation of the NEET-UG question paper leak case in Patna widened on Saturday, with Bihar police’s Economic Offences Unit arresting six people in Deoghar, Jharkhand, taking the number of arrests so far to 19.

The six arrested, residents of Bihar’s Nalanda district, are suspected to be ‘handlers’ and ‘couriers’. They had been hiding in Deoghar, posing as labourers.

EOU sources said a professor in Hazaribagh sent the questions papers on WhatsApp and medical students from Patna and Ranchi solved them. The papers were then sent through one of the couriers arrested in Deoghar.

"The Union Health Ministry has postponed the NEET-PG, saying the integrity of the exam has been compromised. I feel this is a negative step and it is very disheartening," says Dr Lakshya Mittal, National president, United Doctors Front Association on NEET-PG getting postponed. (PTI)

The Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP) has claimed that postponement of the NEET-PG entrance exam is a "failure" of the Centre and accused the government of playing with the lives of aspirants. The opposition party also demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the "mess and malpractices" in the examination process.

"Due to the inability to do their job, the government is playing with the lives and future of children," NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) national spokesperson Clyde Crasto claimed in a statement on Saturday. (PTI)

The govt on Saturday set up a high-level committee under former Isro chief Dr K Radhakrishnan to ensure the fair conduct of examinations and replaced National Testing Agency (NTA) director general Subodh Singh. The crisis of credibility facing the NTA compounded with govt postponing the NEET-PG entrance exam, scheduled to be held Sunday, as a “precautionary measure”.

This is the third such jolt affecting lakhs of aspirants across the country in four da ys: UGC-NET was cancelled on June 19, a day after the exam, due to paper leak; and CSIR-NET, to be held on June 25-27 was postponed on June 21.

The Ministry of Education remains firm in its position that the NEET-UG entrance exams should not be cancelled, based on the findings of the Bihar Police investigation. Officials state that the evidence indicates the alleged "paper leak" in Patna was a "localised affair" and not a widespread issue.

The government is determined to protect the interests of the thousands of students who have legitimately passed the entrance exams. Authorities are highlighting the differences between the current situation and the cancellations of the All India Pre-Medical Tests in 2004 and 2015. In the 2004 case, an investigation by the Delhi Police's crime branch revealed the involvement of a CBSE employee, raising concerns about the examination process being compromised on a larger scale.

The National Testing Agency (NTA) will conduct a retest of the NEET-UG exam for 1,563 candidates today, with officials from both the NTA and the Union education ministry present at the examination centres to ensure smooth proceedings, according to a senior NTA official who spoke on Friday. The decision to hold a retest for the medical entrance exam comes after the agency withdrew grace marks that were awarded to students who experienced a delay in the start of their examination at six centres located in Meghalaya, Haryana, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, and Chandigarh.

The initial results of the exam showed that six students achieved perfect scores of 720 marks, along with 61 others, which led to allegations of mark inflation.

The retest will take place at seven centres, with six of them being new locations. "While all other examination centres have changed, the one in Chandigarh, where only two candidates will appear, will remain the same," said the senior NTA official.

The official also mentioned that the presence of NTA and Union education ministry officials at the centres is a measure taken to ensure the smooth conduct of the re-examination. The decision to re-conduct the exam was made following allegations of irregularities in the NEET-UG, including reports of paper leaks.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge criticized the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for the issues plaguing the education system, particularly in light of the recent alleged NEET-UG paper leak. He asserted that the responsibility for the scandal lies with the top officials of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government and that merely replacing bureaucrats will not address the deep-rooted problems.

Kharge's comments come amidst the opposition's protests over the leaks of examination papers for NEET-UG and UGC-NET. In response to the controversy, the National Testing Agency (NTA) chief Subodh Kumar was replaced by PK Kharola, who currently serves as the chairman and managing director of India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO).

"In the NEET Scam, the buck stops at the doorstep of the top echelons of the Modi Government. Shuffling the bureaucrats is no solution to the endemic problem in the Education system rotted by the BJP. NTA was projected to be an autonomous body, but in reality, was made to serve the devious interests of the BJP/RSS," Kharge posted on X.

The Congress president further highlighted the pervasive issues of paper leaks, corruption, irregularities, and the influence of the education mafia within the education system. He called for the Modi government to be held accountable in order to ensure justice for the affected students.

Kharge also pointed out that the NEET-PG examination has been postponed, marking the fourth examination to be either canceled or postponed within the past 10 days. He criticized the government's delayed response, stating that this "belated whitewashing exercise is of NO consequence as countless youth continue to suffer!"

Yagyawalkya Shukla, the General Secretary of ABVP, has called for the government and the National Board of Education to provide explanations for the abrupt postponement of the NEET-PG examination, which was scheduled to take place on June 23 morning. The exam was postponed just hours before it was set to begin, marking the second competitive exam to be postponed after the UGC-NET was cancelled due to the exam paper being leaked on the darknet.

Shukla emphasized the need for transparency, stating, "If the National Board of Examination or the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare had any kind of suspicion, they should have brought forth everything in front of candidates with full transparency... Student bodies demand the government and the National Board of Education that the students have the right to know the reasons and circumstances behind the step."

Dhananjay, the President of JNUSU, criticized the government's handling of the situation, highlighting the challenges faced by students who travel across cities to take the exam. He remarked, "Students travel across cities to sit for this exam. This government has failed students on so many levels."

Dr Rohan Krishnan, the President of FAIMA Doctors Association, expressed solidarity with the affected students and called for immediate answers from the National Board of Examinations regarding the reasons behind the postponement. He urged the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to provide an explanation and assured the students of the association's support, saying, "I want to assure the students that we stand with them and we will make sure that the next date is given with ample time."

Congress leader Pawan Khera criticized the central government on Saturday for the postponement of the NEET-PG examination, stating that the government has lost the trust of the youth.

"The NEET PG exam which was supposed to be held tomorrow has been postponed tonight...This government is not able to conduct exams. This government has completely lost its trust among the youth. The Education Minister who was giving a clean chit to NTA 4 days ago, is now removing the Director General of NTA. Who is responsible for the exams? Who is being saved? When will this investigation happen? When will this government be able to get the exam done properly? People are not getting answers to these questions," Khera said in a video.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare announced the postponement of the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test Postgraduate (NEET PG) Examination on Saturday, which was originally scheduled for Sunday. The ministry stated that a new date will be announced soon.

The decision to postpone the NEET-PG exams, which were set to take place on June 23, comes in light of recent allegations regarding the integrity of certain competitive examinations. The Ministry of Health has decided to conduct a thorough assessment of the robustness of the processes involved in the NEET-PG Entrance Examination, which is administered by the National Board of Examination for medical students.

Jairam Ramesh launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday, alleging that the country is witnessing exam cancellations on a daily basis due to the "total incompetence" of PM Modi and his inner circle. Ramesh specifically highlighted the postponement of the NEET-PG examination, which was originally scheduled for Sunday, as the latest example of this trend.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare announced the postponement of the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test Postgraduate (NEET PG) Examination on Saturday, stating that a new date will be announced soon. The decision to delay the exam, which was set to take place on June 23, comes amidst recent allegations questioning the integrity of certain competitive examinations.
In light of these concerns, the Ministry of Health has decided to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the NEET-PG Entrance Examination processes, which are overseen by the National Board of Examination for medical students. The aim is to ensure the robustness and reliability of the examination system.

Anand Dubey, as called for the immediate resignation of Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan following the postponement of the NEET-PG examination. Dubey emphasized that merely changing officers at the National Testing Agency (NTA) will not suffice and that the government must overhaul the entire system. He urged for the appointment of a new minister to handle this responsibility, warning that failure to do so will adversely affect millions of students and further escalate the anger of those protesting on the streets.

"As the opposition, we can only demand from you that you bring in new people with immediate effect, bring in capable people and remove those who are inactive and indifferent from their posts," Dubey added.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare announced the postponement of the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test Postgraduate (NEET PG) Examination on Saturday, which was originally scheduled for Sunday. The ministry stated that a new date for the examination will be announced as soon as possible.

Rahul Gandhi on Saturday criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying that the postponement of the NEET-PG entrance exam is "another unfortunate example that the education system has been ruined." The decision to delay the exam, originally scheduled for June 23, as a precautionary measure following recent allegations questioning the integrity of certain competitive exams.

Gandhi expressed his views on 'X' in Hindi, emphasizing that under Modi's leadership, students are compelled to challenge the government to protect their future instead of focusing on their studies and building their careers. He asserted that it has become evident that Modi, who previously remained silent during such incidents, is now utterly powerless in the face of the paper leak racket and the education mafia.

The former Congress chief further declared, "Narendra Modi's incompetent government is the biggest threat to the future of students. We have to save the future of the country from it." Gandhi's strong words underscore his belief that the current administration's handling of the education sector poses a significant risk to the prospects of the nation's youth.

The central government on Saturday handed over the investigation of alleged irregularities into the 2024 NEET-UG exam to Central Bureau of Investigation for a thorough probe.
"National Testing Agency (NTA) conducted the NEET(UG) Examination on May 5, 2024 in OMR (Pen and paper) mode.

Certain cases of alleged irregularities/cheating/impersonation/malpractices have been reported. For transparency on the conduct of the examination process, the Ministry of Education, Government of India, after a review has decided to entrust the matter to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for comprehensive investigation. Central Government has also enacted the Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, to prevent unfair means in public examinations and to provide for matter connected therewith or incidental thereto," the government said.
"The government is committed to ensuring the sanctity of examinations and protect the interest of students. It is reiterated that any individual/ organization found to be involved will face strictest action," it added.
The National Testing Agency (NTA), responsible for conducting the NEET-UG exams, has been under fire due to the alleged irregularities. This has led to widespread protests across the nation, with demonstrators and political parties calling for the disbandment of the NTA.

Adding to the concerns, an unprecedented number of 67 candidates achieved a perfect score of 720 marks out of 720.

The National Testing Agency (NTA) Director General Subodh Kumar Singh has been removed from his position and placed on "compulsory wait" in the Department of Personnel and Training by the Centre on Saturday. This decision comes in the midst of growing allegations of irregularities in the administration of examinations.

Until a permanent replacement is appointed or further orders are issued, whichever comes first, Pradeep Singh Kharola has been given additional responsibilities as the Director General of the National Testing Agency (NTA), Ministry of Education. The notice stated, "Assignment of additional charge of the post of Director General, National Testing Agency, Ministry of Education to Pradeep Singh Kharola, IAS (KN:85) (Retd.), Chairman and Managing Director, India Trade Promotion Organization till appointment of a regular incumbent or until further orders, whichever is earlier."
The notice further added, "Placing the services of Subodh Kumar Singh, IAS (CG:97), Director General, National Testing Agency, Ministry of Education on compulsory wait in the Department of Personnel and Training."
In a related development, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare announced on Saturday the postponement of the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test Postgraduate (NEET PG) Examination, which was originally scheduled for Sunday. The ministry stated that a new date for the exam will be announced as soon as possible. The NEET-PG exams were initially set to take place on June 23.