At a press conference held at the All India Congress Committee (AICC) headquarters in New Delhi on June 20, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi shared his concerns and views on the current NEET and UGC-NET exam controversies.
Speaking sardonically on the matter Gandhi said, “There have been claims that the PM has stopped the wars between Russia and Ukraine, and in Israel and Gaza, but he cannot or does not want to stop paper leaks in his own country.”
Rahul Gandhi: Institutional Capture of Educational Institutions Responsible for Students Turmoil
Addressing the issue of “paper leaks,” he criticized the lack of independence, objectivity, and fairness in educational institutions, pointing at the BJP and its parent organization (RSS). “Vice-chancellors are appointed not based on merit, but because of their political motivation, and ideological inclinations,”
he added. Claiming paper leaks to be an “anti-national activity”, he empathized with students’ situation as discrepancies like such put their lives in jeopardy.
Reports of Paper Leaks in India
The issue of paper leaks has been prevalent across India. Reportedly, there have been 70 cases of paper leaks in the last 7 years across 15 states. Major states like Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Uttar Pradesh have been highly affected. Despite existing laws, the problem persists. The ongoing NEET and UGC-NET exam debacles have brought considerable attention to this issue.
Regarding the NEET “paper leak” issue, the National Testing Agency (NTA) had earlier dismissed it as “completely baseless and without any ground”, with Education Minister, Dharmendra Pradhan also dismissing the allegations.
Protests held by students against NTA
Major protests by students and opposition have been held questioning the credibility of the NTA and holding ministerial authorities responsible for systemic failures. Students held posters with slogans against the National Testing Agency, demanding accountability for the exam discrepancies and calling for a retake and re-evaluation of the NEET exam.
After multiple petitions were filed at the Supreme Court, it stated on June 18, “If there is 0.001% negligence on the part of anyone, it should be thoroughly dealt with. Children have prepared for the exams. We cannot forget their labor.”
Cancelation of UGC-NET 2024
Amidst the massive furore over NEET, the ministry canceled UGC-NET 2024 a day after it was held to protect the sanctity interests of students, following certain inputs from National Cyber Crime Threat Analytics Unit of Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C). Click here to read the full story.
Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi reiterated that ‘the unfair conduct will continue to happen as long as there are ideologically and politically motivated individuals in primary positions.’
Rahul Gandhi’s Sharp Criticism of the Modi Government
In remarking on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s handling of the crisis situation, he said “PM cannot handle it as now he is psychologically collapsed post the Lok Sabha elections.” He is more focused on the appointment of Lok Sabha speaker, Rahul added.
Click here to see the full video of the conference.
Both UGC-NET and NEET are among the top competitive exams in India. UGC-NET conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA), determines eligibility for Assistant Professorship and Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) in Indian colleges and universities, while NEET determines admissions to medical courses across the country.
Read more: UGC-NET 2024 Canceled Due to ‘Compromised Integrity,’ CBI To Investigate
