Govt to form a High-Level Committee To Improve Functioning Of National Testing Agency

Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan responded to opposition calls for a re-conduct of the NEET medical entrance exam due to isolated instances of malpractice. He stressed that the achievements of the majority of students who passed the exam legitimately should not be overshadowed by these incidents.

New Delhi:New Delhi: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Thursday said the government will set up a high-level committee for reforms in the National Testing Agency (NTA). This committee will be expected to make recommendations to further improve NTA, its structure, functioning, examination process, transparency and data security protocols to conduct zero-error exams.

Briefing the media here, Pradhan said, "I urged all persons not to believe rumours and don't politicise this issue. The government is committed to conducting error-free exams."

Responding to allegations of irregularities in the NEET UG exam in Bihar, Pradhan said, "The Patna police are investigating the matter in depth. Once the probe gets over, they will send a detailed report to the Central government."

He assured that the transparency of exams will not be compromised and government will not tolerate any irregularity.

"In the primary facie, some irregularities have been found in some limited specific regions. The investigation is going on once we get the final concrete report regarding this. Those who are found guilty in the NEET exam will face stringent action, be it NTA or any senior person in NTA," the Education Minister asserted.

"Regarding the NEET exam, I want to assure everyone that the government is committed to safeguarding the interests of the students. The interest of the students is our top priority and there will be no compromise on it at any cost," he said.

Meanwhile, earlier in the day, the Congress party attacked the Central government over alleged irregularities in the NEET UG exam.

Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi alleged, "Prime Minister Narendra Modi was psychologically broken and his concern was the survival of his government and not the future of lakhs of students suffering because of the paper leaks."

In a media briefing, Rahul Gandhi announced, "The opposition will not let the government off the hook on this crucial matter and the responsibility will have to be fixed and the guilty punished."